


The Walking Dead: The Final Season - Reclamation

by ResidentUseless



Category: The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)
Genre: Explicit Language, F/F, Romance, Slice of Life, Violentine, violetine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-26
Updated: 2019-04-26
Packaged: 2020-02-04 18:12:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 22,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18609838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ResidentUseless/pseuds/ResidentUseless
Summary: Almost a year after the events of The Walking Dead: The Final Season, Clementine is still getting used to having a place she can call home. Given that happy moments in the past have always ended with more tragedy, Clementine is reluctant to accept that things may actually work out this time.





	The Walking Dead: The Final Season - Reclamation

_Editor’s Note (for extra context and stuff, nothing necessary – if you don’t care about that kind of shit, feel free to just skip ahead to the actual story):_

_Okay, I’m just using the term “editor’s note” to sound fancy. Obviously, I don’t actually have an editor for my fucking fan fiction. Anyway…_  
_So, like a lot of you, I absolutely adored The Final Season and I’ve been unable to get the characters out of my head. So much so that, after finishing the game, I was constantly coming up with new scenarios for them, new scenes for them to play out, in my head depicting what they could be up to after the events of the last episode. Although I love the final episode with every fiber of my being, I do agree with some other fans that it was a little bit of a bummer to not get one last chance to hang out with everyone. One of my favorite things about the season was getting to know the characters through the more relaxed scenes, like the card game scene, the truth-or-dare scene, and the party scene. I guess, from a story-telling perspective, it’s not like we needed to get to know the characters even more in the last episode, which was mostly just wrapping everything up. Still, it would have been nice to hang out with everyone one more time. I wouldn’t say I’m “upset” we didn’t get one last hanging out scene (probably would’ve disrupted the narrative flow, honestly), I just miss these characters and would’ve liked to spend some more time with them, especially the love interests._  
_Since we didn’t get to hang out with everyone one last time in the finale, I started coming up with these various post-The Final Season scenarios myself, just so I wouldn’t have to leave these characters. I’m sure many of you have been doing the same. Eventually, I started coming up with so many scenarios, and some of them I really liked, so I was like, “Maybe I should start writing these down…” So I did. And now it’s a fan fiction._  
_To be clear, writing fan fiction is something I almost never do (there was only one other time, but even that had some kind of unusual circumstances surrounding it). Just goes to show how much of an emotional impact this season had on me that I decided to do something I generally try to stay away from (no offense to regular fan fiction writers or readers; I’m not saying the medium is intrinsically bad or anything, it’s just usually not for me)._  
_Okay, so, in terms of the story itself, it takes place not quite a year after the events of the game. I think that’s about all you need to really know going into it. Hopefully the rest is relatively self-explanatory._  
_I guess I should also point out (though this probably goes without saying) that this story follows the events of my playthrough specifically and is definitely not vague enough to be applied to just anyone’s playthrough. For example, in my “canon” playthrough, I romanced and saved Violet, trusted AJ in the cave, didn’t scratch out the V+M heart in the fishing shack, had AJ kill Lilly, and so on. You’ll probably get the idea of which choices I made based on my references to them in the story._  
_Also, I want to mention that this isn’t one of those fan fictions where the characters will meet up with characters from other franchises, or one where all the characters uncharacteristically hook up with each other (again, no offense to people who are into those types of fan fictions, I’m just not). I tried to stick to the canon voices of each of these characters as much as I could (though there are obviously some characters whose voices I’m better at replicating than others), so that this could seem like an actual story that could realistically take place in the canon, even though it obviously doesn’t._  
_That said, I do take a few liberties here and there. Most obviously, Clementine’s personality can be pretty different depending on how the player plays her, and this story’s Clementine is obviously based on the version of Clementine that I created with my choices. Clementine always has a distinct voice, no matter which options you pick, and I try to stick to that as much as I can, but keep in mind that the things I can see my Clementine doing and saying may not necessarily be things you can see your Clementine doing or saying._  
_Other than that, most of the “liberties” I take are minor things that don’t disrupt the canon, but are just things never mentioned in the canon, but could have been if the writers wanted them to be. For example, in the beginning of this story, AJ is introduced to the old world concept of sleepovers, so I had to decide how familiar each character is with this concept. I decided that Clementine, for instance, probably had a few sleepovers when she was a kid, but Violet probably didn’t. This information isn’t canon, since sleepovers are never actually mentioned in any of the games, nor are any characters’ experiences with them, but my assumption that Clem may have had sleepovers and Vi hadn’t doesn’t disrupt anything in the canon either, and obviously doesn’t majorly change the characters’ personalities or anything. More importantly, these are things that I feel could be canon, but just aren’t. I feel like it isn’t a far stretch to assume that Clem had sleepovers as a kid but Violet didn’t – from where I’m standing, those seem like reasonable assumptions to make._  
_Also, sometimes I impose my own impressions on canon events, such as Violet’s relationship with Minnie, which is obviously discussed in the actual game, but never to a super deep extent, so I kind of just filled in the cracks as I saw fit and as I think (and hope) makes sense._  
_I guess I also technically take some liberties with some logistical-type stuff, like how I mention that the school is in contact with other communities now, but you (the reader) never actually meet any of those communities’ members, even though they would probably play a relatively big part in the lives of the canon characters at this point, and some new people maybe should have even joined Texas Two by now. But I just avoided all that because I wanted to keep the focus on the canon characters without introducing any shitty original ones._  
_Okay, that’s it. This “editor’s note” is way too long. Oh well. I hope you enjoy the actual story._

 

### Chapter One

### 

            “Clem! Clem, wake up!”

            Clementine slowly opened her eyes to see AJ standing next to her bed.

            “Hey, goofball,” she said.

            She looked out the window. The sun was just barely starting to rise.

            “How early is it?” she asked.

            “I don’t know,” AJ replied. “Pretty early. But I have to ask you something.”

            “What is it?” Clementine asked as she sat up in her bed.

            “So I was talking to Willy while we were on lookout duty and he told me about something called a… sleep… sleepover? Something from the old world that means there’s no bedtime and I can stay up all night doing whatever I want! Can I do a sleepover tonight? Please?”

            “Jeez, kiddo, you woke me up this early for that? You could’ve asked me later in the day, you know.”

            “Yeah, but I’m too excited!” AJ smiled.

            Clementine tried to hold back from smiling herself. It’d be nice to let AJ partake of some old world pleasures that kids these days don’t have the luxury to enjoy.

            “Well, let’s think about this,” she said. “If you stay up late tonight, you’ll probably end up sleeping in late tomorrow. Do you have anything you have to do tomorrow that you might have to wake up early for? Hunting or fishing or–”

            “Nope! I already checked with Aasim about my schedule. I had a gardening shift, but Louis said he’d take that shift instead since tomorrow’s his break day.”

            “You woke up Aasim and Louis too?”

            “Nah, Aasim was already up. But, uh, yeah, I did wake up Louis.”

            “AJ…”

            “So can I do it? Pretty please?”

            Clementine thought for another moment.

            “Alright, sure,” she concluded. “You can sleepover with Willy tonight.”

            “Yes!” AJ yelled before running out of the room.

            Clementine lay back down on her bed. She stared up at the bunk above hers for a few seconds.

            “Well, I guess I’m up.”

            She sat back up, attached her prosthetic foot, and exited her room.

***

            As she walked down the hall, she ran into Louis, who was humming joyfully to himself. Louis noticed her and spoke to her in sign language.

            _Hey there, queen bee!_ he signed. _You’re up unusually early._

“Hey, Louis,” Clementine responded. “Yeah, AJ woke me up because he just _had_ to ask me about having a sleepover.”

            _Did you say he could do it?_

“Yeah, I did. Sorry he woke you up, by the way. And talked you into taking his shift tomorrow.”

            _No, don’t worry about it! I’m happy to do it. I like letting the kids get to be kids._

“Yeah, me too.”

            A moment of silence passed as Clementine and Louis briefly reflected on their past lives.

            “We’re kind of still kids too, you know,” Clementine said. “We’ve had to grow up quicker, but we’re technically still kids, right?”

            _Speak for yourself,_ Louis signed. _I’m a mature adult who takes everything very seriously._

“Yeah, alright,” Clementine smiled. “Well, thanks again.”

            _Oh, wait! Before you go, there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you that I keep forgetting about._

“What is it?”

            _Okay, listen carefully, because this is very important. Or, well… Watch my hands very carefully._

A look of slight concern took over Clementine’s face.

            _Violet’s birthday is coming up soon. And I think it’s about time we started celebrating birthdays again._

“What? How can you tell it’s almost her birthday?”

            _Well, Aasim’s various journals and schedules are basically a full-blown calendar at this point that we’re all just assuming is more or less accurate. Anyway, I thought, being her girlfriend and all, you might want some time to think up some big gesture or something. All_ I _have to do is say, “Happy Birthday!” and I’m off the hook, but_ you _… No pressure._

“Yeah, no pressure at all. It’s only the first birthday any of us have celebrated in years and it happens to be for my girlfriend…”

            _You’ll be fine! I’m sure she’ll love anything you do._

“Yeah… So when exactly is her birthday?”

            _It’s, uh… What’s today? It might be today. I think her birthday’s today._

“Oh. Thanks for giving me so much time to prepare,” Clementine said sarcastically.

            Louis smiled. _Hey, what are friends for?_

“Okay, so… Violet’s out fishing today, right?”

            _Yeah, I think so. She probably hasn’t left yet, though – it’s still pretty early._

“Alright. I’ll figure something out before the end of the day. Thanks, Louis.”

            _No problem! If you need help with anything–_

“Actually… You think could play ‘Happy Birthday’ on the piano or something while everyone else sings along?”

            Louis’ face took on a faux serious expression.

            _Clem. Please. Think about who you’re talking to. Of course I’m going to play “Happy Birthday” on the piano! I was going to do that anyway!_

“Okay, thanks. That’s something, anyway, in case I can’t think of anything else.”

            _You’ll think of something. It’ll be great. Let me know if you need anything else._

Louis continued down the hall. Clementine stood still, thinking for a little while, before heading over to Omar’s room.

***

            “Come in,” Omar said, hearing a knock at his door.

            Clementine entered the room.

            “Hey, Omar,” she said.

            “Hey, Clem. What’s up?”

            “I have a… kind of strange request.”

            “Hit me.”

            “So, uh… Do you think you could make… chicken nuggets?”

            Omar gave Clementine a look that was somewhere between suspicious and confused.

            “Are you serious?” he asked.

            “It’s Violet’s birthday today and she told me once about how she used to love chicken nuggets in the old world, so I thought–”

            “Say no more,” Omar interrupted.

            “So you think you can do it?”

            “I think I can make something _resembling_ chicken nuggets, sure. But unless you can manage to find an actual chicken…”

            “Right… Somehow that slipped my mind…”

            “A rabbit would probably be the closest thing you could find around here, taste-wise. Or just about any bird.”

            “Alright. Thanks, Omar.”

            Clementine turned to leave, but then Omar spoke up again.

            “So we’re celebrating birthdays again, huh?”

            Clementine turned back to him.

            “Yup. Louis’ idea.”

            “I figured. You know…”

            Omar was silent for a moment.

            “It’s nice seeing Violet happy again,” he said. “Obviously, none of us were doing too well before you came along, but Violet in particular… I don’t know how everyone else felt about it, but even when she was with Minnie, she never seemed really happy to me. She kind of just seemed like she was desperately clinging onto what she thought was happiness, all the while forgetting to actually be happy. I guess I’m just saying that I’m glad you two found each other.”

            Clementine smiled.

            “Yeah, me too,” she said.

            “Anyway, I’ll let you go hunt a rabbit now, or whatever.”

            “Okay. I’ll be back soon with… something.”

            Omar smiled.

            “We’ll make ‘something’ work.”

***

            Once the sun was a bit higher in the sky, Clementine went to Violet’s room and knocked on the door.

            “Violet, you up?”

            Clementine entered the room.

            “Yeah, I’m–” Violet started, before looking over to see Clementine enter. “I’m up.”

            Violet was sitting up on her bed, already fully dressed.

            “Well, you look ready to start the day already,” Clementine commented.

            Violet looked a bit somber.

            “Yeah,” she responded. “I couldn’t really get to sleep last night, so I figured, might as well get ready for the morning, right?”

            Clementine’s face saddened.

            “Why couldn’t you sleep?” Clementine asked. “Are you alright?”

            Violet looked up at Clementine and smiled.

            “Yeah, I’m fine,” she answered. “Just, you know… Stuff.”

            “Sure… ‘Stuff’…”

            Violet stood up.

            “So what’s the day looking like?” she asked.

            “Well, you’ll have to check with Aasim,” Clementine said, “but I’m pretty sure you’re on fishing duty today.”

            “Alright. Easy. What about you? What do you have going on today?”

            “Today’s my break day. Just general overseeing of things, pretty much.”

            “Okay.”

            Violet was silent for a moment before continuing.

            “I’d, uh… appreciate some company. If you don’t mind, of course.”

            Clementine smiled.

            “Of course I don’t mind.”

            Violet smiled back.

            “Great. Then it’s a date.”

            The two stood there, smiling at each other for a few moments.

            “Let’s go have breakfast first,” Clementine proposed. “Then we can head out.”

            “Sounds good.”

***

            Everyone gathered outside to get ready for the breakfast Omar had been preparing. As Clementine and Violet exited the building, Clementine saw Aasim and Ruby and headed over in their direction.

            “Hey, Aasim,” Clementine said.

            Aasim turned his attention away from Ruby. “Hey, Clem. Good morning.”

            “Yeah, good morning. Uh, could you tell me who’s on hunting duty today?”

            “Let’s see…”

            Aasim took out a small notebook from his pocket.

            “Looks like Louis and AJ,” he said.

            “Perfect,” Clementine said quietly to herself. “Thanks, Aasim.”

            “‘Perfect’?” Violet asked, almost offended at the implication that Louis and AJ were better hunters than her.

            “Uh, yeah,” Clementine said, struggling to think of an excuse that wouldn’t tip Violet off to her bigger plan. “Those two just… make such a good team, you know?”

            “Yeah…” Violet replied. “Kind of weirdly so.”

            “I think it’s adorable how good they get along,” Ruby chimed in.

            “Sure,” Violet responded. “Adorable, but weird.”

            “Things are allowed to be just adorable, Vi,” Ruby said.

            Violet didn’t quite know how to respond to that, so she stayed silent.

            “Um, I have to take care of some leadership-type stuff real quick,” Clementine said, turning to Violet. “I’ll be back in a second.”

            “Okay,” Violet said.

            Clementine made her way over to Louis, AJ, and Willy, who were taking turns playing fetch with Rosie.

            “Clem!” Willy said, as he noticed her approaching. “AJ and I are gonna have a sleepover tonight!”

            “Yeah, I know,” Clementine smiled.

            “I never got to have a sleepover before! And neither has AJ! Did _you_ ever have sleepovers in the old world?”

            “Uh, yeah. A few.”

            “It’s gonna be so much fun! Probably!”

            “Okay, calm down, Willy.”

            Clementine turned to Louis and AJ.

            “Hey, guys,” she said. “I have a huge favor to ask of you.”

            “What is it?” AJ asked.

            “When you’re out hunting today, try to look extra hard for birds. Rabbits will probably work to. When you get back, remind Omar about… Violet’s birthday dinner.”

            “‘Birthday dinner’?” AJ asked.

            _I knew you’d think of something!_ Louis signed. _What are you getting Omar to make?_

“Uh…” Clementine said, trying to figure out if she wanted to answer honestly or not. “Chicken nuggets.”

            Louis laughed out loud.

            _That’s perfect! I love it!_

“What’s a ‘chicken nugget’?” AJ asked.

            “It’s a food from the old world,” Clementine answered. “Violet used to love them.”

            “Huh…” AJ responded. He thought for a moment. “Wait, you said ‘birthday dinner,’ right? Is it Violet’s birthday? I thought people didn’t do birthdays anymore, since the monsters.”

            “Well, Louis and I talked, and we think we should start celebrating birthdays again,” Clementine explained.

            “Oh! Cool!” AJ said. “When’s _my_ birthday?”

            Clementine thought for a moment. “You know, kiddo, I don’t actually know. You were born after the old world, so it was hard to keep track of the days. I know it was during the winter…”

            “Oh…” AJ replied, saddened.

            “Well, this just means you get to pick your own birthday,” Clementine told him. “We’ll ask Aasim what days are in the winter, and then you can choose–”

            “I want my birthday to be the _first_ day of winter!” AJ exclaimed, suddenly excited.

            Clementine laughed a bit. “Alright. First day of winter it is.”

            “Breakfast’s ready!” Omar shouted.

            Everyone gathered at the table for the meal.

***

            Clementine and Violet reached the fishing shack and picked up their spears. Clementine was getting ready to go out and start fishing, but noticed Violet staring at the wall.

            “Violet?”

            Violet turned around to meet Clementine’s eyes.

            “Uh, sorry,” Violet said. “Let’s go.”

            Clementine tilted her head to see what on the wall behind Violet she was staring at. It was a carving of a heart with “V+M” written inside it. Saddened expressions overtook both Clementine’s and Violet’s faces.

            “I…” Violet started. “I know I shouldn’t miss her. She did some really fucked up stuff and I have you now and…”

            Violet couldn’t finish her sentiment.

            “Never mind,” she said, wiping a tear from her eye. “I don’t miss her. Let’s just–”

            “We should talk about this,” Clementine suggested. “It’s obvious that you need to.”

            Violet thought for a moment about how to respond.

            “Yeah, well…” she began. “How am I _supposed_ to talk about this? You didn’t know her. Not really. And I don’t want to say you _replaced_ her, but…”

            “Violet,” Clementine said as she put her hand on Violet’s shoulder. “It’s okay. Just say whatever you need to say.”

            Violet smiled a little bit as tears came to her eyes.

            “She was… everything to me,” Violet said. “Or at least I thought she was at the time. Now I just don’t even know anymore. I mean… She tried to fucking kill me, Clem! She tried to kill me and you and AJ and… and Tenn…”

            Violet couldn’t speak for a moment as her tears overcame her. She managed to quickly suppress them before continuing.

            “She killed her own fucking brother! _And_ sister! Who fucking does that? And don’t tell me it was because the raiders brainwashed her, because…”

            Clementine was silent. Violet looked down at the floor and let the tears roll down her face.

            “I don’t know, Clem…” Violet eventually spoke up. “If I was in her position… could they have gotten to me, too? Could they have convinced _me_ to kill the people that _I_ love?”

            “Violet…” Clementine said.

            “Please don’t say that you know I wouldn’t. There’s no way you could know that for sure. Obviously, I’d like to think that no one could get me to do that, but… I wouldn’t have thought anyone would’ve been able to do it to Minnie either.”

            Silence.

            “She was so nice, Clem,” Violet eventually continued. “I… I don’t know if she really loved me the way I _thought_ I loved her, but… she was just… a really good person, you know? And then this world… This fucking world destroyed her. And every time I see that stupid, fucking carving in this stupid, fucking shack… I have to think about all of this. Did I really even know her? Did she have that inside her the whole time? Or is the world just so fucked up that it can do that to anyone? And then… Did she really love me like she said she did? Was it all just some kind of fucking game to her? Did… _I_ really even love _her_? After my grandma killed herself and my parents dumped me here… I think I just needed someone, _anyone_ , who I thought would never leave me. And it’s not like she chose to, but…”

            Violet’s tears started to dry up.

            “Sorry,” she said, looking up at Clementine again. “I don’t really know where I’m going with this. It’s just… a lot to think about.”

            Clementine pulled Violet close and hugged her. Violet, shocked for a moment, eventually hugged her back.

            “I’m so sorry, Violet,” Clementine said. “You deserve better than to have to worry about all that.”

            Violet took in Clementine’s apology for a second, then leaned into Clementine’s shoulder as she let loose all her tears. Clementine squeezed Violet tighter in their embrace, and Violet squeezed back. Violet continued crying for a while before eventually drying up.

            “Guh, look at me,” Violet said as she finished crying. “I’m getting tears and snot and shit all over you.”

            “I don’t mind,” Clementine said, still holding her girlfriend.

            Violet thought for a moment about how to proceed.

            “I didn’t mean to sound angry at you before,” she said. “When I asked how I could talk to you about Minnie. It’s just…”

            “I understand,” Clementine assured her. “I know this kind of thing can’t be easy to talk about.”

            “I probably should’ve talked about it a long time ago, though.”

            “Yeah, probably,” Clementine said, laughing a little bit.

            “I just…” Violet continued. “This helped, just getting it all out, finally being able to cry about it and everything, but… I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to get over it, you know?”

            “I don’t know that we can really get over anything,” Clementine proposed. “We just… move on.”

            “Yeah…” Violet agreed. The two of them finally let each other go. “You’re too fucking cool, Clementine.”

            Clementine smiled. “What do you mean?”

            “Well, here I am, crying all over you like an asshole,” Violet explained. “Meanwhile, you’ve probably gone through much worse shit, living in the actual world for so long, but you just tough it out. How do you do that?”

            Clementine thought for a few moments.

            “I don’t know,” Clementine admitted. “I guess living out there for so long has kind of made me have to just keep moving and not think too much about things that have already happened. I’m probably more messed up in the head than either of us realize.”

            “Well, you come off pretty good,” Violet said, smiling.

            Clementine smiled back. “Don’t worry, I’m sure someday I’ll break and need a shoulder to cry on of my own.”

            “Well, I got two, whenever you need them.”

            Violet held her hand out. Clementine took it, and the two of them exited the shack.

***

            Clementine and Violet returned to the school with a bucket full of fish.

            “Hey, Ruby,” Clementine called up to Ruby, who was on lookout duty. “Are AJ and Louis back yet?”

            “Nope,” Ruby answered. “They’re still out there.”

            “Hey, could you go take the fish in to Omar?” Clementine asked Violet. “I’m gonna go check on AJ and Louis.”

            “Uh, are you sure?” Violet asked. “I’m pretty sure they can take care of themselves.”

            “Yeah, there’s just… something I want to make sure they do right.”

            “Okay, well… Do you want me to come with you?”

            “No, you stay here and relax. I’ll just be a minute.”

            “Alright, if you insist. It’s just I get worried whenever you want to go out on your own, since you can’t really run well with your, uh… foot.”

            Clementine smiled at Violet’s concern for her. “I’ll bring Rosie with me. It’ll be fine.”

            “It better be.”

            Clementine leaned in to give Violet and quick kiss before whistling Rosie over and heading out.

***

            “Clem!” AJ whisper-shouted as he noticed her drawing closer. He put his finger to his lips, signaling for her to stay quiet.

            Clementine crouched behind a tree, assuming that AJ and Louis must be about to land a hit on some prey they’d found. She slowly and quietly made her way toward AJ and Louis.

            “What are we looking at?” Clementine whispered.

            “Look,” AJ said, pointing ahead of them.

            Clementine peaked her head over the bush they were all hiding behind to see what animal they were stalking.

            “Is that… a chicken?”

            “I think so,” AJ said.

            _Sure looks like one,_ Louis signed.

            “What’s it doing here?” Clementine asked. “How’d it get here?”

            Louis shrugged.

            “Maybe it escaped from one of the other communities?” AJ proposed.

            “Do the other communities _have_ chickens?” Clementine asked.

            “Maybe?”

            _Guys, let’s not look a gift chicken in the mouth._

“Okay, so why haven’t you guys killed it yet?” Clementine asked.

            “It looks so…” AJ started. “Uh… What’s the word? Agitated? I feel like as soon as I poke my head out, it’ll just run away and we’ll lose it.”

            “Yeah, that’s kind of how hunting works.”

            “But this is different than just a rabbit or something. Look at it! It’s so… agitated!”

            “I’m not entirely sure you’re using the word ‘agitated’ right, kiddo.”

            _I can just sneak up behind it and jump on it._ Louis jokingly suggested. _It’s not like I’ll make any noise to scare it._

AJ quietly laughed. Clementine looked at him disapprovingly.

            “What?” AJ asked. “It was a joke! Because his tongue–”

            “Yeah, I got it, AJ.”

            Louis couldn’t help laughing himself. The group heard the chicken nervously cluck. They poked their heads over the bush to see it running away, already in the distance.

            “Shit,” AJ said.

            _Oops,_ Louis signed. _My bad._

Clementine sighed. “Think we can catch up to it?”

            “I don’t know,” AJ said. “It looked pretty fast.”

            “Well…”

            Louis’ face saddened.

            _Seriously, I’m actually really sorry, Clem._

“Don’t worry about it,” Clementine responded, a bit resigned. “It’s not your fault.”

            “We got, like, four rabbits, though!” AJ stated. “And a crow!”

            “Well, that’s good,” Clementine said, sounding a bit happier. “Yeah, that’ll work. Thanks, guys.”

            _We’ll get that son of a bitch chicken next time!_ Louis decided.

            “Yeah, but it probably won’t be Violet’s birthday next time,” AJ pointed out.

            _You don’t know that._

The three of them and Rosie took their findings and returned to the school.

***

            “Oh, Clem!” Ruby yelled down as the group approached the gates. “Omar wanted me to tell you that dinner might be a bit late because he decided to go out hunting.”

            “Really?” Clementine asked. “Omar went out hunting? That’s kind of… unusual.”

            “Oh, wait,” Ruby said. “Never mind. He’s back already.”

            Clementine looked behind her to see Omar walking towards them.

            “Oh, hey, guys,” Omar said. “Look what I found.”

            Omar raised his hand, in which he was clutching a dead chicken.

            “He got the chicken!” AJ yelled excitedly.

            _Yeah!_ Louis signed. _Chef God Omar!_

Clementine turned to look fully at Louis. “Uh… I only saw you out of the corner of my eye, but… did you just sign, ‘Chef God Omar’?”

            Louis waved it off. _Don’t worry about it. It’s an inside joke._

“Oookay…”

            “Guys, it’s just a chicken…” Ruby said quietly under her breath.

***

            Clementine entered the library, where she found Violet and Willy.

            “Hey, Violet,” she said.

            “Oh, hey,” Violet returned. She quickly walked over to Clementine. “Man, this kid is exhausting.”

            “I can hear you,” Willy said.

            Violet scowled at Willy for a second before turning back to Clementine.

            “So, uh, Violet,” Clementine started. “Can you… head over to the greenhouse? Just walk around it, make sure all the plants are… growing correctly?”

            “Uh, sure?” Violet asked, somewhat skeptically. “Willy already did the watering today, so–”

            “You don’t need to water them or anything,” Clementine said. “Just, you know… Check on everything, see how each individual plant is doing. Take your time with it. And when you’re done, come meet me in the music room, okay?”

            “O…kay…”

Violet, still confused, left for the greenhouse.

            “Uh, what’s going on?” Willy asked.

            Clementine watched Violet walk away, making sure she was out of earshot before answering Willy.

            “Come on,” Clementine said. “We have to get set up quickly.”

***

            Violet, once finished with the greenhouse, approached the music room.

            “So everything looks fine and–”

            She stopped when she noticed the entire community standing in the room, looking at her. Louis was seated at the piano. Everyone had dumb smiles on their faces.

            “Um…” Violet began. “What’s happening?”

            Louis immediately began playing “Happy Birthday” on the piano. Everyone started singing along.

            “Happy Birthday to you!”

            “Oh my god…” Violet said as she covered her face with one hand.

            “Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday dear Violet! Happy Birthday to you!”

            “And many moooore!” Willy continued.

            “What’re you doing?” Violet asked as she uncovered her face, trying not to smile. “It’s not even my birthday!”

            “It is,” Aasim assured her.

            “Well…”

            _I see you smiling!_ Louis signed. _Don’t try to hide it!_

Violet gave up and let herself smile. “Fine, I’m smiling! You happy?”

            Louis nodded vigorously.

            “We have a surprise for you,” Clementine said.

            Violet turned to Clementine. “Please don’t. I hate surprises.”

            “You’ll like this one.”

            Clementine looked over at Omar, who was holding a plate covered by an upside-down plate on top of it. He walked over to Violet, who stood confused and slightly excited. Omar removed the upside-down plate to reveal chunks of meat resembling chicken nuggets.

            “Ta-da,” Omar said, almost enthusiastically.

            Violet looked down at the plate.

            “Are these…” she began. “Are these fucking chicken nuggets?”

            “Kind of,” Omar answered. “As close as we’re gonna get, anyway.”

            Violet began to tear up.

            “I’m not crying!” she told herself. “I’m not going to cry over fucking chicken nuggets!”

            Louis started to shake, but managed to sign _This is so cute!_ to no one in particular.

            “Happy Birthday, Violet!” AJ yelled.

            Violet smiled at AJ.

            “Thanks, AJ,” she said. “Thanks, everyone.”

            She turned to Clementine.

            “Was this your idea?”

            “No, it was a group effort,” Clementine said. “If anything, it was mostly Louis’ idea.”

 _Nope! All Clem!_ Louis signed, knowing that, given his position behind Clementine, she wouldn’t be able to see what he was saying.

            “Well, let’s eat,” Omar said, putting the plate of chicken nuggets down on a table they’d moved into the music room. “Violet gets all the chicken nuggets. Everyone else gets rabbit and fish nuggets, ‘cause that’s what we have.”

            “Wait, these are made from an actual chicken?” Violet asked. “How did you…?”

            “Don’t ask,” Clementine replied. “We’re not really sure ourselves.”

            Everyone sat down at the table and began eating.

            “You know,” Violet said, “it might just be because I haven’t had any in a long time, but I think these are the best chicken nuggets I’ve ever had.”

            “Damn right,” Omar said.

            “They call him the ‘Chef God’ for a reason,” Ruby said.

            “What’s with this whole ‘Chef God’ thing?” Clementine asked.

            “Don’t worry about it,” Willy said. “It’s an inside joke.”

            “It would take too long to explain,” AJ added.

            “Uh-huh…” Clementine responded.

            “We should do this every night!” AJ proposed.

            “Do what every night?” Clementine asked. “Eat chicken nuggets or have a party?”

            “Um… Both!”

            “Well, we kind of do have a party every night, don’t we? We all get together for dinner, we talk, we tell jokes that not everyone gets…”

            “But this is different,” AJ insisted. “It’s like… I don’t know… Violet’s smiling a lot more than usual!”

            Violet got embarrassed and stopped smiling.

            “Which is a good thing!” AJ insisted. “It means she’s happy! And, I mean… we’re all happy normally, just all eating together, but… everyone seems a lot happier than normal right now. We should act like every day is a birthday!”

 _Well, every day is_ someone’s _birthday, right?_ Louis signed.

            “What? Really?” AJ asked.

            “You know, I think you might be onto something there, kiddo,” Clementine said, smiling.

            “Yeah!” Willy jumped in. “Tomorrow can be _my_ birthday!”

            “Uh, that’s not how it works, Willy,” Aasim said.

            “Why not?” Willy asked. “Didn’t we just decide that every day should be someone’s birthday?”

            “That’s not…” Aasim said as he facepalmed. “Every day is _literally_ the birthday of someone, somewhere in the world. They didn’t mean that every day is going to be the birthday of someone _here_.”

            “Oh…” Willy said. “Well, why not?”

            “Uh, I’m just gonna put this out there…” Omar stepped in. “Nuggets should probably be a once-a-week thing at most. You know, for variety.”

            “But… we can still act like every day is a birthday, right?” AJ asked.

            “Sure we can,” Clementine assured him.

            AJ smiled. Then his eyes widened, like he had just realized something.

            “Oh, I just remembered!” he said. “Willy and I have a sleepover tonight!”

            “Um, we all live in the same building,” Aasim pointed out. “Isn’t every night kind of a sleepover?”

            “Just let them have this,” Ruby said.

            “We’re gonna stay up all night and do… Uh… I don’t know… Something!” AJ continued. He turned to Clementine. “Can we be excused?”

            “Sure, go ahead,” Clementine said.

            “Yes!” AJ yelled, standing up from the table. He and Willy ran out of the room laughing.

            “Isn’t Willy a bit old to be acting like this?” Aasim asked.

            Louis shrugged. _Aren’t_ I _a bit old to be acting like_ this _?_

            “Yes, you definitely are,” Violet replied, smiling.

            Rosie barked. Omar put some rabbit nuggets on a plate and sat it on the floor for her.

_So what’s your wish, birthday girl?_

            “Hm…” Violet thought. “I forgot birthday wishes were a thing. I think my family usually skipped that part.”

 _Well, we’re your family now and we’re_ not _skipping that part._

            “Um…” Violet continued to think. “I don’t know. I think, all things considered, I kind of already have everything I want.”

            Louis did his best to sign _D’AAAAAWWW!_

            Clementine reached over and grabbed Violet’s hand. Violet looked at Clementine and smiled.

***

            After dinner, Omar, Ruby, Aasim, and Louis started gathering up the dishes.

            “Here, let me help, too,” Clementine offered.

            _No, no!_ Louis protested. _We got this. You and the birthday girl get to go off and have some alone time._

Louis waggled his eyebrows.

            “Good lord, please never do that again,” Violet said.

            Louis laughed to himself, then walked off with some dishes.

            “So, I guess it’s just you and me, then,” Clementine said, smiling at Violet.

            “Yup,” Violet returned.

            “What do you want to do?”

            “Um…”

            “Normally I’d suggest the bell tower, but I’m still not totally sure I can make that climb yet–”

            “No, definitely not the bell tower!” Violet quickly interjected. “Uh… You know what? If AJ’s gonna be with Willy all night, then why don’t you and I have a sleepover of our own?”

            Clementine smiled

            “Yeah,” she responded.

            The two of them got up from the table and started towards Violet’s room.

***

            Clementine and Violet sat next to each other on Violet’s bed.

            “So…” Violet started. “You ever have a sleepover before?”

            “Yeah,” Clementine answered. “When I was really young, I’d sometimes go to these big sleepover parties that kids from school would have. I would always get worried about being the first one to fall asleep and accidentally stay up all night.”

            “That sounds… exhausting.”

            “Yeah, kind of.”

            “So what did kids do at sleepovers? I imagine it wasn’t the thought of just all sleeping in the same room that was exciting.”

            “It depended on who was throwing the sleepover, I guess. Sometimes we’d watch movies or play video games… This one time, one of the girls got everyone together to raid her mom’s closet and try on her clothes.”

            “Bleh. Gross.”

            “It was kind of just a big excuse to hang out until we were too tired to hang out anymore, but then still hang out.”

            “Well, that part sounds pretty good, at least.”

            “Yeah, it could be pretty cool. Depending on who I was sleeping over with, anyway.”

            “What, sometimes you’d sleepover with people you didn’t like?”

            “Well… In elementary school, everyone kind of thought they were friends with everyone else, so whenever one person had a party or a sleepover or whatever, pretty much everyone else was invited. The sleepovers I went to were just for girls, though. But, yeah, sometimes that meant sleeping over with ‘friends’ who actually just kind of annoyed me, but at least there might be other girls there who I was better friends with.”

            “Huh…”

            Violet took a moment to take in all this new information about the concept of sleepovers.

            “You know…” Violet spoke up. “Sometimes I think about how, if the world didn’t end and somehow you and I met each other anyway… We probably wouldn’t have liked each other. I’d be the weird loner that you’d try to avoid and you’d be the popular princess that I’d hate. It’s funny how circumstances can change things…”

            “I don’t know about that,” Clementine said. “It may have taken us a while to warm up to each other, but I think that eventually we’d get along. It’s not like you were super fond of me the first time we actually did meet, after all.”

            Violet smiled. “Yeah, maybe you’re right.”

            Violet leaned her head on Clementine’s shoulder.

            “I’m glad things turned out the way they did, though,” Violet said. “I mean… That sounds fucked up. A lot of people died. I’m just… You know what I mean.”

            “Yeah, I know,” Clementine reassured her.

            Clementine rested her head on Violet’s and put her arm around her. The two sat in silence, enjoying each other’s company for a few moments.

            “So you’ve never been to a one-on-one sleepover before?” Violet spoke up.

            “Nope,” Clementine answered. “Just a few big group ones.”

            “Well, we don’t have any movies to watch or closets to raid. Got any other ideas?”

            Clementine thought for a bit. “You know, now that I’m really thinking about it, I’m pretty sure I can make the climb up the bell tower–”

            “Forget the bell tower,” Violet said sternly. “I’m not letting you try to climb that thing while you’re…”

            Violet couldn’t figure out a good way to end that sentence.

            “While I’m… missing a foot?” Clementine attempted to finish it for her.

            “No, that’s not what I mean,” Violet asserted. “I just… Not right now, okay? Just trust me on this.”

            Clementine shrugged. “Alright, if you insist. But you better believe we’ll be going back up there eventually.”

            “Yeah…”

            Clementine tried to think of an alternative to visiting the bell tower.

            “I think I have an idea,” Clementine said.

            “Yeah?”

            “Yeah. Let’s head back to the music room.”

            “Uh, the music room?”

            “Yeah. I’m gonna write you a song.”

            Violet was in a shocked silence.

            “No you’re not,” she replied.

            Clementine smiled and stood up.

            “Yes I am,” she said. “Let’s go.”

            Clementine held out her hand. Violet sat, staring at Clementine’s outstretched hand for a few moments. Eventually, Violet rolled her eyes, took Clementine’s hand, and stood up.

            “You’ve been spending too much time with Louis,” Violet said.

            “You can never spend too much time with Louis,” Clementine countered.

            Violet smiled. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”

***

            Clementine and Violet arrived back at the music room. Clementine took a seat at the piano.

            “You think we should be doing this?” Violet asked quietly. “I don’t want to keep everyone up.”

            “I think their rooms are all far enough away that we’ll be fine as long as we play quietly,” Clementine said. “If anything, AJ and Willy would probably be the ones keeping everyone up tonight.”

            “Yeah, I guess.”

            Violet took a seat next to Clementine.

            “Do you even know how to play this thing?” Violet asked.

            “Nope,” Clementine answered.

            “Great.”

            “Louis told me that as long as I only press the white keys and end on a C note, it should be pretty much fine. Do you know which one’s the C note?”

            “No idea.”

            Clementine shrugged. “Well, we’ll figure it out.”

            Clementine gently pressed one of the keys.

            “Okay,” she said. “And then…”

            She pressed a few more keys in succession.

            “Hm…” she said. “Maybe this wasn’t the best idea.”

            “Did you really think you were just gonna wing it and end up writing an actual song?” Violet asked.

            “Well… Yeah, kind of.”

            Violet smiled. “It was a nice thought, though.”

            “Oh, so now you’re okay with the idea of it now that you know it’s not going to happen?”

            Violet shrugged. “I mean… I like having a girlfriend who wants to write a song for me. But having a girlfriend who then _actually_ writes that song? That’s a bit corny, don’t you think?”

            “Well… Corny can be nice, sometimes.”

            “Eh… Maybe.”

            Clementine and Violet smiled at each other.

            “Okay,” Clementine said, turning back to the piano. “Let’s give this another try…”

            Clementine slowly pressed three keys in a row.

            “That doesn’t sound so bad,” she said.

            “It’s a long way from a full song, though.”

            “Well, we have to start somewhere.”

            Clementine repeated the three notes.

            “Da da da…” she sang along to the notes, playing them again.

            The two sat in silence for a bit.

            “How about…” Violet said. She proceeded to play Clementine’s three notes before adding a fourth note at the end. “Hm. Maybe not.”

            “Let’s see…” Clementine said. She tried a deviation of the three-note melody.

            “Nope,” she decided, going back to the original melody. She started playing the three notes over and over. “Then Louis is always also doing something with his other hand, right?”

            Clementine tried pressing a variety of notes on the lower end of the piano while keeping the three-note melody going with her other hand.

            “Shit, this is hard,” Clementine said, giving up for the moment.

            “That’s okay,” Violet said. “As your muse, I’m giving you permission to quit.”

            Clementine scooted away from the piano, feeling defeated.

            “Well, this ended up being a lame birthday present,” she said.

            “Oh, come on,” Violet said. “You already threw me a party and got me chicken fucking nuggets.”

            “Well, Omar got you chicken nuggets,” Clementine responded. “And Louis pretty much put the party together, so…”

            “I bet you had more to do with it all than you’re willing to admit.”

            Clementine’s face saddened a bit. Violet reached out and touched Clementine’s arm.

            “Clem. You’re not actually sad that you couldn’t write me a stupid song, are you?”

            “I guess not,” Clementine said as her frown grew into a slight smile. “You have to admit, it would’ve been pretty romantic if I _did_ somehow manage to write you a song, despite not actually knowing how to play anything.”

            “It… would’ve been something, alright.”

            Clementine stared at the piano for a few seconds, trying to figure out if she wanted to keep trying.

            “Okay,” Violet broke the silence. “I feel like you’re more bummed out about not being able to magically write a song than you should be, so I’m going to give you some reasons why you’re awesome. One, you’re a fucking badass.”

            “Well…” Clementine was reluctant to agree. “Thanks, but I’m just–”

            “Two,” Violet continued, ignoring Clementine’s argument. “You’re definitely the best leader this dumb school’s ever had.”

            “Okay, but, from what I understand, that bar isn’t exactly set super high.”

            “Three, apparently you’re really humble.”

            “I… Well, okay.”

            “You’re not supposed to agree with _that_ one!”

            The two laughed. After the laughter settled down, they looked into each other’s eyes for a few moments.

            “Four,” Violet continued. “You…”

            She paused.

            “Nah, never mind,” she said. “That one’s too cheesy.”

            “What?” Clementine chuckled.

            “Um… I’m gonna feel dumb saying it, but… You have the kindest eyes.”

            Clementine’s smile widened.

            “Ugh,” Violet grunted as she averted her gaze. “I can’t believe I just said that.”

            “Well, did you mean it?” Clementine asked.

            Violet looked back at Clementine and smiled. “Yeah.”

            “Then I’m glad you said it.”

            Violet looked down for a moment.

            “Sorry, I didn’t mean to take back the compliment,” she said. “Even though we’ve been together for a while now, I think I’m still getting used to this whole ‘serious relationship’ thing.”

            “You and me both,” Clementine reassured her.

            “When I was with Minnie, I…” Violet stopped herself. “Sorry… I don’t mean to keep bringing her up…”

            Clementine’s smile disappeared.

            “It’s okay,” she said. “She was obviously very important to you.”

            “Yeah, but…”

            Violet was silent for a moment. Then, she grabbed Clementine’s hand.

            “But you’re so much more important to me than she ever was,” Violet said.

            Clementine couldn’t figure out what an appropriate response would be, so instead, she just smiled at the sentiment.

            “Well, I think we’ve exhausted our musicianship for the night,” Violet said, backing up from the piano. “Wanna head back to my room?”

            “Yeah,” Clementine responded.

            The two got up and started back towards Violet’s room.

***

            Violet yawned as she entered her room.

            “I should probably get some sleep,” she said. “I don’t know about you, but I’ve got hunting duty tomorrow.”

            “Yeah, we should both probably get some rest,” Clementine said.

            “Alright, well… Thanks for a great birthday.”

            Clementine smiled. “Of course.”

            Violet settled into her bed. Clementine blew out the candle illuminating the room before removing her prosthetic foot and getting into the empty bed across the room.

            “Good night,” Clementine said.

            “Night,” Violet returned.

            A few moments of silence passed as the two of them got ready to go to sleep.

            “Um, Clem?” Violet spoke up.

            “Yeah?” Clementine asked.

            “You know… we could… share a bed.”

            Clementine was surprised at the offer.

            “I know they’re kind of small,” Violet continued. “But if you wanted to, I wouldn’t mind…”

            Clementine waited for a moment before responding.

            “Yeah, alright,” she said with a smile on her face.

            “Okay,” Violet said. “You stay there, I’ll…”

            Clementine scooted over toward the wall. Violet crawled in next to her. It was a bit tight, but not uncomfortable.

            “Sorry, is this weird?” Violet asked.

            “No,” Clementine reassured her. “It’s cozy.”

            “Alright, if you say so…”

            Clementine turned on her side, facing Violet, and put an arm around her. Violet, not sure how to respond at first, eventually turned toward Clementine, inched a bit closer, and put an arm around her too.

            “You know…” Violet started. “I’ve been thinking, and… I could be wrong, but I don’t think I’ve ever actually told you that I love you out loud, so… I love you. So… yeah.”

            Clementine smiled widely.

            “I love you too, Vi.”

            Violet smiled as well. The two cuddled closer and fell asleep in each other’s arms.

 

### Chapter Two

### 

            The sun shone through the window and onto Clementine’s face. She awoke to find her arm still wrapped around Violet, who was still asleep. Clementine smiled. She thought about just laying there, enjoying the moment for a little while longer, but she decided she should probably start her day.

            “Violet,” Clementine said quietly, trying to wake up her girlfriend. “Vi, wake up.”

            Violet grunted as she awoke.

            “Hey,” Violet said in a groggy, morning voice.

            “Good morning,” Clementine smiled.

            “Yeah, I guess,” Violet responded. “Man, I’m tired. We probably shouldn’t’ve stayed up so late.”

            “Well, it was a nice night. I think it was worth it.”

            Violet smiled.

            The two of them rolled out of bed. Clementine attached her prosthetic foot as Violet put her boots on.

            “I’m gonna go to Willy’s room and check on AJ,” Clementine said.

            “Okay,” Violet said. “I’ll see you at breakfast then?”

            “Yeah.”

            “I’ll save you a seat,” Violet jokingly responded.

            Clementine smiled, appreciating the unnecessary gesture, before turning and leaving the room.

***

            Clementine approached Willy’s room to find the door already open.

            “AJ?”

            She looked inside, but it was empty.

            “Huh. I guess they’re already up.”

            She mused to herself for a moment about her habit of talking to herself out loud, even when no one else was around, kind of like a character from one of those adventure games she used to play on the computer when she was a kid.

            She decided to check outside to see if AJ was already out there, waiting for breakfast.

***

            AJ noticed Clementine exiting the building and ran up to her.

            “Clem!”

            “Hey there, goofball,” Clementine responded, smiling. “Did you have fun at your sleepover last night?”

            “Uh, yeah,” AJ said in a not-totally-convincing manner.

            “Just ‘uh, yeah’?” Clementine asked.

            “No, it _was_ fun,” AJ assured her. “It’s just… I’ve been thinking, and…”

            Clementine got just a little bit worried. When AJ’s “been thinking,” it hasn’t always ended well.

            “I think I should have my own room,” AJ finished his sentence.

            Clementine was surprised.

            “What?” she asked.

            “Well, I’m older now,” AJ explained, “and I can take care of myself. And… Last night, Willy and I went to the library, and he fell asleep there. I wanted to stay up more, so I did. When I got tired, I thought about going back to Willy’s room, but I never slept alone before. So I went back to our room, and you weren’t there.”

            “Oh, AJ…” Clementine said, saddened. “I’m sorry, I–”

            “No, it’s okay!” AJ declared. “Sleeping by myself for the first time… It was like being… uh… you know… indefinite.”

            Clementine looked confused.

            “No, wait… Independent!” AJ corrected himself.

            Clementine’s face brightened up a little bit.

            “And I thought,” AJ continued, “I should be independent more. I mean, I already do work by myself sometimes. Gardening, fishing… I think I should sleep by myself from now on, in my own room.”

            Clementine gave a sad smile.

            “Well…” she said. “I’ll think about it.”

            “Okay…” AJ said, unsure if he had convinced her or not.

            “Breakfast’s ready!” Omar shouted.

            Everyone gathered to the table to get ready to eat.

            Clementine sat down next to Violet.

            “My little goofball’s growing up,” she said in a tone somewhere between happiness and sadness.

            “Uh, yeah…” Violet responded. “What do you mean?”

            “He just asked me if he can have his own room. I guess it was bound to happen eventually.”

            Violet was silent for a moment, slightly surprised.

            “Yeah, I guess so,” Violet said. “Are you gonna let him?”

            “Yeah, I think so,” Clementine responded. “Like he said, he needs to be independent. He’s still young, but… he’s right. I think I’ll put him in the empty room next to ours. Or… the empty room next to _mine_ , now, I guess.”

            Omar began dishing out the meal.

            “Are you… alright?” Violet asked Clementine.

            “Yeah,” Clementine responded, smiling. “I’m proud of him. It’s just… I think it’ll be a little lonelier in my room without him.”

            Violet thought for a moment.

            “Well, I mean,” Violet started. “If… If you want… If you, uh… still want a ‘roommate’…”

            Clementine smiled at Violet, waiting for her to finish her suggestion. Violet paused, hoping Clementine would finish it for her.

            “We could…” Violet continued to stumble through her sentence. “You know…”

            “Are you trying to ask to ‘move in together’?” Clementine eventually succumbed.

            “Um… Yeah,” Violet responded. “Yes. Yes I am.”

            Clementine had to pause for a moment to take in how adorable her girlfriend was.

            “Yeah, I think that might help,” Clementine answered. “Thanks, Vi.”

            “Uh, sure,” Violet said, smiling, trying to keep up the illusion that she was the one doing Clementine a favor.

            The two smiled at each other for another moment before turning to see Louis across the table, his elbows on the table and his chin resting on his hands, staring at them with a huge smile on his face.

            _No, keep going!_ Louis signed. _Ignore me. Pretend I’m not here._

“Too late,” Violet said. “You ruined the moment.”

            _Aw, shucks!_ Louis responded in feigned disappointment.

            Clementine laughed.

***

            After breakfast, everyone began getting ready to start their jobs for the day. Clementine and Aasim took Rosie as they spent most of the day traveling to the various nearby communities, a weekly task they endeavored to keep a consistent relationship with them all, ensuring trade deals and alliances were still intact and such. Once they had finished their rounds, they headed back to the school. Upon arriving, Clementine overheard a conversation between Violet and Ruby.

            “Yeah, why not?” Violet asked. “If it’s finished already…”

            “Because if you can just keep her away from it for a couple more weeks–” Ruby started before she was cut off.

            “Keep who away from what?” Clementine asked as she got closer.

            Ruby and Violet turned to meet Clementine.

            “Clem!” Ruby shouted in surprise. “We were just, uh…”

            “Come on,” Violet said to Clementine as she took her hand. “I want to show you something.”

            Clementine, with a confused expression on her face, allowed herself to be led by Violet.

            “We’re really doing this now?” Ruby called after Violet, who continued to walk on without giving an answer. Ruby gave an exasperated sigh before calling out, “Alright, everyone to the bell tower!”

            “The bell tower?” Clementine asked.

            Violet simply smiled.

            All the members of the community gathered around the entrance to the bell tower.

            “Okay, so…” Violet began, turning around to face Clementine. “Every time you go to meet with the other communities each week, some of us here have been working on this. Ruby and some of the others want to wait a couple more weeks so it can be like your anniversary present, celebrating one year since you first got here. But we got it done a little earlier than we thought and I want to show you already, so fuck it.”

            “What is it?” Clementine asked, smiling, genuinely wondering what this “present” could realistically be.

            “Um… Okay,” Violet said. “Let’s just do it.”

            Violet opened the door to the bell tower and walked inside. Clementine followed her, as did the rest of the group. Violet turned back around to see Clementine’s reaction.

            “So, uh… Yeah,” Violet said.

            Clementine looked around. Aside from the giant bell, which was still entrenched in the ground, the rubble from the deteriorating building had been cleared away. As she looked up, she noticed that the wooden staircase leading to the roof had been rebuilt, complete with a guardrail.

            “So maybe now you can get up there without having to make that dangerous climb,” Violet stated.

            Clementine was at a loss for words. She simply continued to look around, stunned at what her community had managed to accomplish underneath her nose for nearly a year. But for each moment that Clementine didn’t respond, Violet’s face grew more and more worried.

            “Uh, I’m kind of just realizing now that this is more a gift for me than it is for you…” Violet said.

            Clementine closed the gap between herself and Violet as quickly as she could before throwing her arms around her.

            “I love it,” Clementine said.

            Violet, a bit surprised at first, smiled and hugged Clementine back.

            “Well, that’s a relief.”

            “Can we go up it now?” AJ asked, a big smile on his face.

            “Yeah,” Clementine said. “Let’s all go.”

            The group made their way upstairs. Violet helped Clementine slowly ascend up the staircase. Once at the top, they all looked up at the sky.

            “It feels like forever since I’ve been up here,” Clementine said.

            “We didn’t get around to building that bell tower house up here yet,” Violet said. “But some day.”

            “Wait, we have to build a whole house next?” Willy asked, genuinely concerned.

            Everyone ignored Willy’s question and continued looking toward the sky.

            “Okay, let’s see…” Violet said, examining the sky. She pointed towards a cloud. “That one kinda looks like a… like a tiger.”

            Clementine squinted.

            “Yeah,” she replied. “Yeah, I see it.”

            “What? Where?” AJ asked.

            Louis crouched down beside him and pointed toward the tiger-shaped cloud.

            “Oh!” AJ said. “Yeah, I see it too!”

            “That one looks like a bunny!” Ruby said, pointing ahead of her.

            “Yeah, it does,” Clementine agreed.

            “That one’s a…” Aasim said as he tried to come up with something. “A… squirrel.”

            “They don’t all have to be animals,” Violet said.

            “There! That one!” AJ shouted. “That one looks like a… a chair!”

            Clementine looked hard. “Um, yeah, a little bit.”

            Willy stared confusedly at the sky.

            Everyone was silent for a few moments as they continued to admire the view. A gentle breeze swept across them.

            “That one looks like Omar,” Willy decided.

            “Well, I’m gonna go get started on dinner,” Omar said, ignoring Willy’s comment.

            Omar headed downstairs. Ruby and Aasim followed him down, followed by Willy, then Louis and AJ. Clementine and Violet decided to stay a little bit longer.

            “How did you get them all to do this?” Clementine asked.

            “I didn’t _get_ them to do it,” Violet answered. “They were happy to do it. Seemed like the least we could do to pay you back for everything you’ve done for us.”

            Clementine smiled.

            “So, um…” Violet started. “I don’t have a whole lot of stuff. I can just bring it all over to your room tonight so we can… make it official.”

            “Yeah,” Clementine said, turning to Violet. “I’ll help you.”

            Violet smiled. “Okay.”

            The two began their descent downstairs.

***

            “Hey, Clem!” Clementine heard Ruby call out as she and Violet approached the courtyard.

            “What’s up?” Clementine asked, looking up at the lookout post Ruby was stationed at.

            “Um…” Ruby said. “We got something that looks like a walker, but… I’m not sure.”

            Clementine looked confused. She started toward the gate to get a better look at what Ruby was seeing. Indeed, there appeared to be a single walker heading toward the school. However, its hands were in the air, as if it were surrendering.

            “Wait a minute…” Clementine said.

            “Is that…?” Violet asked, close behind Clementine.

            “I think so,” Clementine responded.

            Clementine looked back up toward Ruby.

            “I think that’s James,” she said. “I’m… I’m gonna go out and try to talk to him.”

            “Are you sure?” Ruby asked.

            “Yeah,” Clementine responded. “Just… keep your bow ready. Just in case.”

            Ruby nodded and readied her bow. Clementine opened the gate, closed it behind her, and took a few steps toward James. Violet waited nervously behind the gate. James continued forward until he was just a few steps away from Clementine. He removed his mask.

            “Hi,” James said.

            “Uh, hi, James,” Clementine responded. “What are you doing here?”

            James was uncomfortably silent for a moment.

            “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking,” he said, “since that night in the cave…”

            More silence.

            “Thanks, by the way,” Clementine broke the silence. “For holding back the walkers while we escaped. I was worried that… maybe you didn’t make it.”

            James silently nodded.

            “I wanted to tell you…” he continued. “I don’t know if we’ll ever agree on everything, but… I think you’re a good person. And I think… and I hope… that AJ’s going to be alright with you.”

            Clementine smiled a little bit.

            “Thanks, James.”

            James looked down awkwardly at his mask.

            “Well…” he said. “I should be going.”

            “You know, James,” Clementine said. “You could stay here. With us. If you wanted to.”

            James gave Clementine a surprised expression.

            “I, uh…” he said, not sure how to respond.

            “Or maybe you could just stay for dinner,” Clementine suggested, sensing James’ reluctance to accept her previous offer.

            James thought for a moment.

            “Uh, yeah,” he decided. “Okay.”

            “Great,” Clementine said. “Come on in. I’ll re-introduce you to everyone.”

            Clementine turned around and started toward the gate. Violet opened it for them and they both entered.

            “That’s Violet,” Clementine said to James.

            “Hi,” Violet greeted with a smile on her face. “It’s, uh… good to see you again.”

            James gently smiled back.

            “We’re good, Ruby!” Clementine called up the lookout post.

            “Alright!” Ruby called back. “Coming down!”

            Ruby climbed down the post.

            “This is Ruby,” Clementine introduced her to James.

            “Hi there, James!” Ruby said. “It’s been a while! Clem’s, uh… told us quite a bit about you!”

            “Oh…” James replied, unsure if that was a good thing or not.

            “Dinner’s ready!” Omar called out.

            “That was quick,” Violet remarked.

            Clementine, James, Violet, and Ruby started toward the dinner table. James looked around the courtyard.

            “Where’s…” James started, “the boy? The one who was with us in the cave?”

            “Oh… Tenn…” Clementine’s face saddened. “He… didn’t make it through the night…”

            James’ face took on a horrified expression.

            “What happened?” he asked.

            “We were trying to cross a bridge,” Clementine explained. “But then his sister, Minnie… She was one of the raiders. She led a bunch of walkers to us, trying to… trying to kill Tenn.”

            James’ face shifted from shocked to deeply disturbed.

            “And Tenn…” Clementine continued. “He just…”

            “He didn’t make it,” Violet interrupted, trying to make sure Clementine didn’t share anything more than she thought she should. “Walkers got him. I tried to save him, but… I couldn’t do it…”

            An air of sadness blew through everyone.

            “Let’s not think about that right now,” Ruby said. “We have a dinner guest! We should be happy and celebrating!”

            “Yeah,” Clementine said, forcing a smile. “Let’s eat.”

            The four of them sat at the table, where Omar was setting down various plates.

            “That’s Omar,” Clementine said. “He’s one of the ones you helped save that night.”

            “Oh!” Omar said, looking up at James. “So you’re James!”

            “Um, yes,” James confirmed.

            “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” Omar said, holding out his hand.

            James looked uncomfortably at Omar’s outstretched hand for a moment before reluctantly accepting the handshake. Omar smiled and then continued setting plates.

            “James?” AJ said in disbelief as he approached the table.

            James looked over at AJ. Once James’ identity was confirmed, AJ ran over and hugged him. James was taken aback.

            “I’m so happy you’re still alive!” AJ said. “I thought maybe you died in the cave, but you didn’t! You saved us _and_ you survived!”

            “Yup,” Clementine said. “He’s pretty cool.”

 _Wait,_ this _is James?_ Louis, who was not far behind AJ, signed.

            “Yeah, that’s James,” Clementine confirmed.

            Louis ran up to James and turned AJ’s hug into a group hug.

            “Louis, wait–” Clementine attempted to spare James.

            James sat unmoving, clearly uncomfortable, while he received much more physical affection than he was accustomed to.

            “Sorry about him,” Violet said. “That’s Louis. He was on the boat that night too.”

            “I see…” James managed to get out.

            “Uh, what’s going on over here?” Aasim asked as he and Willy joined.

            Louis and AJ backed off from James.

            “Hey, is that James?” Willy asked, barely able to recognize him without his mask. “I thought he was a bad guy now.”

            “Now wait a minute,” Clementine jumped in quickly before James had a chance to react. “I never said that. I said we had a fight and… some fundamental disagreements about how the world works. But I _never_ said he was a bad guy.”

            “Oh,” Willy responded. “My bad.”

            “Okay, everyone, calm down,” Omar said. “Food’s getting cold.”

            Everyone sat down at the table.

            “You probably remember Willy,” Clementine said to James. “He’s… pretty memorable. That next to him is Aasim, who was also on the boat.”

            “Hey,” Aasim said.

            James smiled and nodded.

            Suddenly, James heard barking behind him. He fearfully turned around to see Rosie growling at him.

            “Rosie!” Clementine shouted. “Down, girl!”

            Rosie sat down and began playfully panting.

            “Sorry about Rosie,” Clementine said to James. “She’s… very protective of us. She probably smelled the walker skins on you or something.”

            “Oh,” James said.

            “Rosie!” AJ said, turning around in his seat. “Here, girl!”

            Rosie walked over to AJ and he started vigorously petting her.

            “Who’s a good girl?”

            Rosie slobbered all over AJ.

            “Uh, AJ,” Clementine said. “You might want to go wash your hands, now.”

            “Nah, I’m good,” AJ laughed.

            Clementine looked to Louis to back her up. Louis shrugged.

_He says he’s good._

            Clementine rolled her eyes.

            Everyone turned to their plates and began eating.

            “So, uh, James,” AJ spoke up. “Clem and I had to use your barn a while ago. Sorry if we messed it up or anything.”

            “You… ‘used’ my barn?” James asked.

            “Uh, yeah,” Clementine broke in. “It was the night you were with us. We just used it to hide out until the walkers had moved on. We didn’t… break anything.”

            “Well, I mean…” AJ began.

            Clementine gave AJ a stern look, shutting him up. James looked underneath the table at Clementine’s prosthetic.

            “I suppose that explains the foot I found,” he said.

            A brief awkward silence passed.

            “You have a barn?” Ruby asked James.

            “Yeah, it’s…” James replied. “It’s not for farming.”

            “Well, what’s it for then?”

            Clementine and AJ looked at each other, worried about the answer they assumed James would give.

            “I…” James started. “I don’t know anymore.”

            Clementine and AJ were relieved.

 _So, James,_ Louis signed. _How does it feel to be a hero?_

            “Uh,” James said, unable to understand Louis’ sign language. He looked over to Clementine for an interpretation.

            “He said, ‘How does it feel to be a hero?’” Clementine translated.

            “Oh, uh…” James responded. “I’m… I’m not…”

_Don’t be modest! You helped save our asses that night!_

            James looked over at Clementine again.

            “He says you helped save him that night,” Clementine informed him. “You saved, or helped save, most of the people at this table. A lot of us are alive because of you. And we’re all grateful.”

            James looked around the table. Everyone was smiling or nodding in agreement.

            “Well…” he said. He smiled a bit. “You’re welcome, then.”

***

            After dinner, Clementine walked James back to the front gate.

            “You know, James,” Clementine said as they exited the school’s grounds, “you’re welcome here any time you want. Even if you don’t want to stay, if you just want to hang out or need some food or anything. We’ll be happy to have you.”

            James smiled.

            “I’m glad,” he said. “You’re… You’re doing a good thing here. All these people seem really happy. They’re lucky to have a leader like you.”

            Clementine smiled back.

            “Thanks, James,” she said. “That means a lot.”

            James nodded.

            “Well…” he began. “I’ll see you later, then.”

            “You better,” Clementine responded.

            James put his mask back on and walked into the woods. Clementine watched him walk off for a few seconds before turning back and re-entering the school. Violet was just inside, waiting for her.

            “So that was… unexpected,” Violet said.

            “Yeah,” Clementine agreed. “I’m glad he showed up, though. And that we got to… reconcile.”

            “Yeah, me too,” Violet said, smiling.

            “He’s got some… interesting ideas… but he’s a good guy. I hope he’s safe out there.”

            “I’m sure he will be. He seems like he can take care of himself.”

            “Yeah…”

            Clementine ruminated for a little bit.

            “Anyway…” she eventually said. “I’m gonna go get AJ settled in his new room. Then we can get your stuff moved into my room.”

            “Okay,” Violet said. “Mind if I come along?”

            Clementine smiled. “Do you really need to ask?”

            Violet smiled back and the two of them were off.

***

            “Alright, well,” Clementine said as she, Violet, and AJ finished moving AJ’s possessions to the empty room next to his old one, “I guess that’s it.”

            “Yup,” AJ said. “Now I’m officially independent!”

            Clementine smiled.

            “So, um…” AJ said, “maybe you don’t have to call me ‘goofball’ anymore either.”

            Clementine laughed a little bit.

            “Sorry, AJ,” she said. “You can move into your own room and be ‘independent,’ but you’ll always be a goofball.”

            “Okay…” AJ said, trying not to smile.

            “I… guess I’ll let you settle in on your own,” Clementine said. “I’m right next door, in case you need anything.”

            “Okay, Clem,” AJ said, already distracted by his first self-appointed task: pulling one of the room’s bunk beds closer to the other one.

            “Uh, you need some help there?” Violet offered.

            “No, I…” AJ said between grunts. “Okay, yeah.”

            Violet helped AJ pull the bed toward the center of the room.

            “Where are we moving this?” she asked.

            “Right…” AJ said as they continued to pull. “Here!”

            The bunk bed was situated awkwardly between the other bunk bed and the middle of the room.

            “Uh…” Clementine said with a confused expression on her face.

            “I’m gonna make a fort!” AJ said through a smile.

            Clementine laughed.

            “Okay, kiddo,” she said. “Have fun.”

            AJ began frantically running around the room, gathering items for his “fort,” as Clementine and Violet walked back into the hallway.

            “I think he’ll be alright,” Violet said. “More or less.”

            “Yeah,” Clementine agreed.

            She took a moment to reflect, then turned to Violet.

            “Let’s go get your stuff, now.”

***

            “You weren’t kidding when you said you didn’t have much stuff,” Clementine said as she and Violet carried Violet’s belongings down the hall to Clementine’s room. “Somehow I never noticed how little you actually have.”

            “You’re one to talk,” Violet responded. “Your room is basically just a bunch of decorations and a bed.”

            “Yeah… Fair.”

            They reached Clementine’s room and found new homes for Violet’s things.

            “Well, it’s official,” Clementine said. “We’re a couple now.”

            “What, we weren’t before?” Violet chuckled. “Man, that makes a lot of things pretty awkward in hindsight.”

            Clementine laughed. The two sat on Clementine’s bed to rest after all the moving.

            “Um…” Violet started. “We don’t have to… share a bed _every_ night if you don’t want to. I know it was pretty cramped last night.”

            Clementine shrugged. “I don’t mind if you don’t.”

            Violet smiled. Clementine smiled back.

            Violet leaned back on the bed.

            “Busy couple of days,” she said.

            “Yeah,” Clementine said, leaning back to meet Violet. “Birthday party, bell tower re-opening…”

            “I used to hate being busy,” Violet said. “It was always homework or Sunday school or something… And then, you know… Hunting, checking defenses, lookout duty… But when you’re busy doing stuff with someone you love, it’s not so bad.”

            Clementine’s smile grew as she grabbed Violet’s hand.

            “All things considered, we have things pretty good, don’t we?” Clementine said.

            “Yeah,” Violet agreed.

            Violet’s face saddened a little bit. Clementine noticed.

            “What’s wrong?” Clementine asked.

            “It’s nothing,” Violet sighed. “Just the same stuff as usual. Feels kinda weird being able to lay here with you and _actually_ enjoy life, knowing how many people died so that we could be here…”

            “Yeah…” Clementine said. “Survivor guilt…”

            The two were silent for a few moments.

            “Fuck survivor guilt,” Violet blurted.

            Clementine had to laugh a little bit, which made Violet smile. They both simply lay next to each other for a while. Clementine turned her head to look out the window, seeing the sun almost setting.

            “Okay, get up,” Clementine said, sitting back up. “We’re gonna go do something fun while we still have a little bit of daylight left.”

            Violet sat up. “Uh, okay. Have anything in mind?”

            Clementine shrugged. “We’ll figure something out.”

            The two stood up and left the room. Clementine stood outside the door, thinking for a moment, before taking Violet by the hand and starting to walk down the hall.

            “Where are we going?” Violet laughed as she continued to be led by Clementine.

            “The library,” Clementine answered. “I think I have an idea.”

***

            Clementine and Violet reached the library, where they found Willy way too into a book he was reading.

            “Oh,” Clementine said. “Hey, Willy.”

            Willy looked up from his book. “Oh. Hi.”

            “Uh, you know…” Clementine started. “AJ’s in his new room building a ‘fort.’ Do you want to–”

            “Um, yes!”

            Willy quickly put his book back on the shelf and ran out of the room.

            “What was he reading?” Violet asked. “Actually, never mind. I don’t think I want to know.”

            Clementine looked through the section reserved for empty notebooks.

            “You don’t think Aasim will mind if we use a few pages from one of his notebooks, do you?” Clementine asked.

            “Uh, I think you’d probably know better than me at this point,” Violet admitted.

            “I think we’ll be fine,” Clementine said, taking one of the notebooks from the shelf.

            “What are we doing exactly?” Violet asked.

            “This is a game I used to play with my parents when I was a kid,” Clementine answered as she picked up one of Aasim’s pencils. “One of us starts writing a story, then we pass the notebook to the other person and they continue it. We keep going back and forth until we have a full story.”

            “Um, okay,” Violet said. “I’m not really much of a story-teller, but we can give it a try, I guess.”

            “Don’t worry,” Clementine responded. “No one’s gonna read it except us anyway. It’ll be our own, private story.”

            Clementine opened the notebook.

            “Who goes first?” she asked.

            “Uh, why don’t you?” Violet suggested.

            “Alright,” Clementine said.

            She spent some time scribbling something in the notebook. Violet watched in nervous anticipation.

            “Okay, your turn,” Clementine said as she finished writing. “Just read what I wrote and add whatever you want to it.”

            “Okay…” Violet reluctantly took the notebook and pencil from Clementine. She read Clementine’s entry.

            _Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess. She spent her days playing games in her castle and ruling justly over her subjects._

            “Wow,” Violet said. “That’s what you’re going with, huh?”

            “Hey, I never said it had to be a super _interesting_ story,” Clementine said, smiling.

            Violet thought for a few moments before adding her addition to the story.

            “Okay, done,” Violet said, passing the notebook and pencil back to Clementine.

            “Let’s see…” Clementine said, opening the notebook to read Violet’s contribution.

            _But one day, a five-headed dragon attacked the castle and killed everyone in sight! The dragon took over the kingdom and began a reign of fire and pain._

            “Well, then…” Clementine said. “I guess we’re just forgetting about the princess narrative then, huh?”

            Violet shrugged. “I thought the story could use a twist.”

            “Uh-huh…”

            Clementine wrote in the notebook and then passed it back to Violet.

            _Luckily, the princess was allied with a group of space pirates, who flew down from orbit to exact justice on the cruel dragon! They used their lasers to cut off all five of its heads, ensuring it would never resume its reign of fire and pain again._

            “Hm,” Violet said. “Okay, then…”

            _But the space pirates weren’t expecting the dragon’s master, Mephistopheles, the fish demon, to suddenly appear and destroy their space ship! Powerless, the space pirates had to retreat._

            “Meph… Mephi…” Clementine tried to pronounce the demon’s name. “What is this?”

            Violet shrugged. “I don’t know. Some weird kid at the Sunday school I went to used to talk about it. Probably some biblical shit.”

            “Huh,” Clementine said. “Alright…”

            _But then, like a beam of light breaking through the darkness, the legendary warrior Violet appeared to defeat the evil demon! The kingdom rejoiced as they crowned her the new ruler of the land._

            “Seriously?” Violet said. “You put _me_ in the story?”

            “Who says it’s you?” Clementine retorted. “Maybe it’s some _other_ legendary warrior who just also happens to be named Violet.”

            “Right… Well, in that case…”

            _But the legendary warrior Violet grew bored of ruling the kingdom by herself. Even though she was obviously a total badass, killing the fish demon wasn’t satisfying enough for her. She needed something more in life. Luckily, Clementine, the love angel, suddenly appeared before her! They fell in love and everything was good, etc. The end._

            “‘Love angel’?” Clementine laughed. “And I thought _my_ entries were cheesy.”

            “Well…” Violet said. “It needed a happy ending.”

            “I guess you’re right.”

            Clementine quickly reread the full story.

            “You know, it’s…” Clementine started.

            “It’s really bad,” Violet spoke for her.

            “Well, that goes without saying,” Clementine chuckled. “But it’s _our_ bad story.”

            Violet took the notebook and reread the story herself.

            “No, we don’t need this story,” Violet said as she ripped the page out of the notebook. “I like our _actual_ story a lot better.”

            Clementine smiled.

            “I still want to hold onto this story too, though,” she said, taking the page from Violet, who gladly handed it over.

            “Why?” Violet asked, genuinely confused.

            “Because it’s cute,” Clementine answered. “And hilarious.”

            “Alright, suit yourself. You can add it to the ever-growing collection of random shit in your room.”

            “ _Our_ room,” Clementine corrected her.

            Violet smiled.

            Clementine looked out the window. The sun had fully set and the moon and stars now ruled the sky.

            “I guess we should probably go get some sleep,” Clementine said.

            “Yeah, probably,” Violet agreed.

            The two got up, Clementine clutching the page with their story written on it, and they returned to their room.

***

            Clementine placed the page on the desk.

            “I’ll find a better place for that tomorrow,” she said.

            “Like the trash?” Violet suggested, taking a seat on one of the beds.

            “I’m keeping it,” Clementine said.

            “Whatever.”

            “You’re just embarrassed that someone else might read it, aren’t you?”

            “Tch. Yeah. Embarrassed for _you_.”

            “Well, _I’m_ not embarrassed.”

            Clementine sat down next to Violet.

            “That was fun, though,” Violet admitted. “So… thanks.”

            Clementine smiled.

            “We’ll have to do it again sometime,” she suggested.

            “Well, I don’t know about that,” Violet responded.

            “Fine. I’ll do it with Louis, then.”

            “Oh, god… Yeah, he’d love that.”

            They both laughed. The two sat in silence for a bit. Clementine yawned.

            “Okay, I think it’s bedtime,” she said.

            Clementine removed her prosthetic foot and blew out the candle before getting under the sheets. Violet joined her.

            “Good night, Clem.”

            “Good night, Vi.”

***

            Clementine awoke in the middle of the night. She didn’t know why – it wasn’t like she had awoken from a nightmare or anything. She opened her eyes and saw that Violet was no longer in bed with her.

            “Violet?” she said.

            She sat up in the bed and looked around the room, but Violet was nowhere to be seen.

            “Huh…”

            Clementine got out of bed and attached her prosthetic foot. She exited the room to see if she could find her girlfriend.

            She walked around the school for a few minutes with no success. Eventually, she went outside, where she saw Violet sitting cross-legged on the ground in the middle of the school’s makeshift graveyard. Clementine walked up to her.

            “Couldn’t sleep?” Clementine asked.

            “Hm?” Violet looked behind her and saw Clementine. “Oh, hey. Sorry, did me leaving wake you up?”

            “No,” Clementine assured her. “I woke up by myself.”

            Violet looked forward again. Clementine saw that she was sitting in front of Tenn’s grave.

            “Sometimes I come out here at night when everyone else is asleep,” Violet explained, “just to remember…”

            Clementine took a seat next to Violet on the ground.

            “We can’t forget them, Clem,” Violet said. “Not any of them. Not Mitch or Brody or Marlon or Sophie… not even fucking Minnie…”

            “We won’t,” Clementine said. “They’re… all too important.”

            Violet was silent for a bit.

            “You know…” Violet began, “you didn’t really know Marlon, but was actually a pretty good guy. For the most part, anyway. He just… never should have been in charge.”

            “Yeah, I… got that impression.”

            “I was really angry at him for a long time for what he did, but… I don’t think he deserved what happened to him.”

            “I don’t think he did either…”

            “But he… He did do some really fucking awful things… How do you come to terms with something like that? How do you come to terms with… anything anymore?”

            Violet was silent again.

            “Everyone’s just been through so much shit,” she continued. “Louis lost his tongue, you lost your fucking foot… I kind of feel like I should’ve… lost an eye or something, I don’t know.”

            “But you have such pretty eyes,” Clementine attempted to lighten the mood a little. It didn’t work.

            “When James mentioned Tenn today,” Violet said, “it just got me thinking again…”

            More silence.

            “I’m not gonna lie, Clem, I’m still kinda mad at AJ,” Violet admitted, “for what he did to Marlon and Tenn… Don’t get me wrong, I love him, and I know he was just doing what he thought was right – hell, he might’ve even saved my life, but…”

            Clementine didn’t know how to respond. She decided to just let Violet get it all out.

            “AJ was probably right to do it,” Violet said. “Tenn… He had a tendency to put other people in danger. Not on purpose, but…”

            Violet took a deep breath.

            “I think that maybe…” she went on. “Maybe sometimes I blame AJ so I don’t have to blame myself… If I wasn’t there that night, I couldn’t have suggested the bridge, and maybe you would’ve found a safer way back… Tenn was a small kid, I probably could have just thrown him across the bridge or something. If I had just thought to…”

            “Violet, you can’t blame yourself,” Clementine said. “Tenn chose on his own to not cross the bridge. You did everything you possibly could.”

            Violet sighed.

            “Yeah, I guess I know that,” she responded. “I just… wish it could be different.”

            The two sat in silence for a moment.

            “I knew a girl once,” Clementine broke the silence. “Her name was Sarah. She was about my age. And she… just couldn’t handle the world as it is. One time, a bunch of walkers were after us. She froze up, refused to move. Kind of like Tenn. I managed to save her that time, but… she ended up dying later that day anyway.”

            Violet had shifted her gaze to Clementine by this point, surprised that she was sharing this story with her.

            “She was dangerous,” Clementine continued. “She wasn’t trying to be, but… the next time she froze up, she could have gotten someone killed trying to save her. _I_ almost died trying to save her.”

            Clementine paused to take a deep breath.

            “I had a friend named Jane a long time ago,” she went on after gathering herself. “She told me about her sister, who I never knew. She said she went through the same thing with her sister that I went through with Sarah. Jane’s sister just refused to help herself and almost got other people around her killed in the process. Jane eventually had to abandon her own sister so that she could save herself.”

            Violet’s face shifted from surprise to sadness.

            “The point is,” Clementine continued, “some people just aren’t made for this world. And it sucks – they don’t _deserve_ to die, but…”

            Clementine paused.

            “Mitch died trying to save Tenn after Tenn strayed from the plan,” Clementine reminded Violet. “And you almost died trying to save him, too. I… I don’t know what I would do if that had happened. I don’t know that I could really call this place ‘home’ without you.”

            Violet almost smiled.

            “And if it was Tenn here instead of you,” Clementine went on, “how much longer would it be until someone else died from another one of his mistakes? Sometimes the Sarahs and the Tenns of the world just… can’t always make it. It’s horrible, but…”

            Clementine was unable to finish her thought. Violet looked back toward Tenn’s makeshift grave.

            “Thanks for sharing that,” Violet said. “About your friends.”

            Clementine was a bit surprised. That wasn’t the reaction she was expecting.

            “Um… Of course,” Clementine said.

            The two of them were silent for a few moments.

            “You know…” Violet began. “I’d… appreciate it if you shared more with me. I mean… I don’t know. I guess I kind of feel like I’ve already shared just about everything worth sharing about me with you, but I feel like you still have a lot you haven’t shared with me yet.”

            “Well…” Clementine started to defend herself.

            “I just mean…” Violet attempted to clarify. “I want us to be _completely_ part of each other. And I don’t know that we’ll ever get there if there are things you feel like you can’t talk to me about.”

            Clementine’s facial expression changed to one of concern, worried that she may be failing as a girlfriend.

            “Fuck, maybe I’m just being selfish,” Violet stated. “I know you’ve probably gone through a lot of unspeakable shit. You don’t need to tell me about your past or whatever if you don’t feel comfortable with that.”

            “No, I’ll…” Clementine began. “I’ll tell you about my past. Whatever you want to know.”

            “I know you’ll tell me if I _ask_ you,” Violet replied. “But I want you to _want_ to tell me.”

            “Violet,” Clementine said. “I _do_ want to share everything with you. My past, my parents, what it was like living out there for so long… Lee…”

            Clementine took a moment before continuing.

            “I just…” she went on. “I’m just not sure I know how to tell that story yet. Even AJ only knows bits and pieces. I think… Ever since the walkers, I’ve kept moving and moving, never looking back… I haven’t really had much time to think back on everything too much. And, if I’m being honest, some of those memories are ones I’d rather not remember…”

            Clementine lowered her gaze to the ground. Violet, shocked at all this information, just sat, looking at Clementine for a few moments. Eventually, Violet scooted toward Clementine and put her arm around her. Clementine leaned her head against Violet’s shoulder.

            “Remember when I said yesterday that you can cry on my shoulder anytime you want?” Violet asked. “I meant it. Anytime you want to talk about anything or cry or just get something off your chest, whatever. But if you just need some time to figure stuff out on your own… That’s cool too.”

            Clementine smiled.

            “Thanks, Vi.”

            The two continued to sit next to each other on the ground for a while before eventually returning to bed.

***

            Clementine found herself eight years old again, sitting on the couch in the living room of her old house. She figured out pretty quickly that she must have been dreaming.

            “Hey, sweet pea,” she heard a familiar voice say.

            Clementine looked over to see Lee taking a seat next to her.

            “Lee!” Clementine said as she hugged him.

            “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” Lee replied, hugging her back. “I guess that’s a good thing. Means you don’t feel as reliant on me anymore.”

            Their hug ended.

            “I guess…” Clementine said sadly.

            Lee frowned.

            “What are you sad about?” he asked.

            “I just…” Clementine started. “I’ve been at the school for almost a year now. It’s more like a home than any place I’ve been since… since my actual home. But…”

            “Your ‘actual’ home?” Lee asked.

            “Yeah,” Clementine responded, as if what she was saying was obvious. “Here.”

            Clementine and Lee looked around the dreamscape that resembled Clementine’s old house.

            “I knew we must be here this time, instead of on the train, for a reason,” Lee said, smiling again.

            “But even though it’s my new home…” Clementine continued, “It still doesn’t quite _feel_ like home. Not like my _actual_ home…”

            “That school _is_ your ‘actual’ home now,” Lee said. “Maybe you should start thinking about it like it is.”

            “I know…” Clementine admitted. “But… I think I’m scared to think of it as my actual home, because… Because every time I’ve thought I found a new home, something terrible always happens…”

            “Well, that’s no way to live, Clem. You and AJ _need_ a home. And I don’t know that you could’ve found a much better one.”

            “Yeah, you’re right…” Clementine responded sadly.

            “Mind if I join the party?” Clementine heard another familiar voice.

            Clementine looked up to see Kenny standing in the doorway.

            “Kenny!” Clementine shouted as she ran to and hugged him.

            “Hey there, Clem,” Kenny said softly.

            “I’ve missed you,” Clementine said.

            “I’ve missed you, too.”

            The two separated as Lee got up and joined them.

            “So how’s little AJ doin’?” Kenny asked.

            “He’s doing great,” Clementine said. “You’d be proud of him. He’s real tough.”

            “I knew he would be,” Kenny replied. “Just like his parents.”

            “Clementine’s having trouble coming to terms with the fact that she has a new home now,” Lee informed Kenny.

            “Ah,” Kenny said. “I get it. When I first moved out of my parents’ place, my crappy apartment didn’t feel like much of a home. It was just where I was living.”

            “So… what did you do?” Clementine asked.

            “Well,” Kenny said, “eventually, I found someone I loved, got a house, and together we made _that_ our home.”

            “You just… ‘made’ it your home?”

            “Yup. Sure did.”

            “Sometimes, it’s just all in how you think about it,” Lee said. “If you _let_ yourself accept that it’s your new home, then it will be.”

            “That ski lodge we met back up at,” Kenny jumped back in. “Not sure I’d call that a ‘home.’ That motor inn sure as hell wasn’t.”

            “No arguing there,” Lee said. “But Ericson’s…”

            “We call it ‘Texas Two,’ now,” Clementine informed him.

            Lee smiled. “Alright, Texas Two, then. _That’s_ a place I’d call home.”

            Clementine’s face saddened.

            “I wish you could…” she said. “I wish you _both_ could.”

            Lee’s and Kenny’s own faces saddened.

            “Us too, Clem,” Kenny said.

            Lee’s face suddenly brightened up.

            “Here, let me show you something,” he said.

            Lee walked towards the sliding glass doors. Clementine looked on confusedly. Lee pulled the curtains in front of the glass doors aside to reveal an ethereal light replacing the backyard. Everyone who Clementine had known who had died was there, all mingling with each other. Clementine looked on in amazement as tears came to her eyes.

            Duck and Sarah were laughing while they chased each other. Rebecca and Alvin chuckled at something Omid had said. Clementine locked eyes with Luke for a moment. She waved at him. He smiled and waved back before returning to his conversation with Carley and Chuck.

            “We’ll all always be here for you,” Lee said. “Whenever you need us. But don’t make the mistake of thinking we’re real.”

            “You’re still real to _me_ ,” Clementine said, starting to cry.

            “But we’re _gone_ , Clem,” Lee told her. “And no amount of internalizing your past mistakes is going to fix that. You’ve got a new home now – a new _family_. _They’re_ what matters now.”

            “I know,” Clementine said. “It’s just… hard to move on…”

            “That’s why you don’t just move on,” Lee said. “You move _forward_ , to better and brighter things.”

            “It’ll be alright, Clem,” Kenny said. “You’re gonna do great.”

            Clementine grabbed onto Lee.

            “I’m gonna go, now,” she said, still crying. “Tell Tenn I’m sorry. And tell Lilly and Minnie that I forgive them. And…”

            “It’s okay,” Lee said. “They all already know. You just need to worry about continuing to grow your relationships with the living, now.”

            Clementine continued holding onto Lee and he held her back. After a while, she eventually let go.

            “Okay,” she said. “I think I’m ready.”

            Lee smiled.

            “Maybe start off by opening up to that girlfriend of yours,” he suggested. “ _Fully_ opening up. It might help.”

            “Yeah, I like her,” Kenny added. “She’s a badass.”

            “Yeah, she is,” Clementine said as she smiled and her tears started to dry.

            “Well, we should get going,” Kenny said, opening the door.

            “Okay,” Clementine said, wiping away her last tears. “Goodbye, Kenny.”

            Kenny smiled and nodded before returning to the ether.

            “Goodbye, Lee,” Clementine said, turning to him.

            “Goodbye, Clementine,” Lee said, smiling one last time.

            Clementine watched as Lee exited as well. He caught up to Kenny.

            “How ‘bout one more game of poker?” Kenny asked Lee. “Bet I win this time.”

            Lee laughed. “You’re on.”

            Clementine smiled as all her past friends and family were enveloped by the light.

 

### Chapter Three

### 

            Clementine sat on the bed across from the one Violet was still sleeping in, waiting for her to wake up. Violet slowly opened her eyes.

            “Morning,” Clementine said, smiling.

            “Hey,” Violet responded, a bit disoriented.

            Violet looked out the window to notice that the sun was a bit higher in the sky than it normally is when she wakes up.

            “Shit, did I sleep in?” she asked, quickly getting out of bed.

            “No, you’re good,” Clementine laughed. “You have off today.”

            Violet gave Clementine a confused look.

            “What are you talking about?” she asked. “I have a lookout shift.”

            Clementine shook her head.

            “No, I had Aasim shift the schedule around a little bit,” she said. “Your break day’s been moved up to today.”

            “Oh,” Violet replied. “Uh, thanks?”

            “I’m taking the day off, too,” Clementine said.

            “Didn’t you just have a break day?”

            “Yeah, so now I won’t have one next week. Don’t worry, it all evens out.”

            Violet felt like she was missing something.

            “Is today special or something?” she asked.

            “It will be,” Clementine replied. “I just… after last night… felt like spending a whole day with you.”

            “Oh, listen…” Violet’s face saddened. “I’m sorry about that. I just–”

            “You don’t have anything to be sorry for,” Clementine said. “I just want to hang out with you.”

            Violet smiled.

            “We’ve already been hanging out a lot the past few days,” she said. “You sure you aren’t sick of me yet?”

            “Why would I ever get sick of you?” Clementine asked with a smile on her face.

            The two smiled at each other for a moment.

            “So, uh…” Clementine said. “What do you want to do first?”

            Violet shrugged and sat back down on the bed.

            “Sleep a bit more?” she proposed.

            “No, you’re already up,” Clementine chuckled. “Why don’t we go have some breakfast? Everyone else is probably almost done.”

            “Shit, yeah, okay.”

            They both stood up and walked out of the room together.

***

            “Well, look who finally woke up,” Omar said as Clementine and Violet exited the building.

            Violet scowled.

            “I didn’t sleep in _that_ long,” she said.

            Omar smiled. He was the only one left at the table, cleaning up dishes left by everyone else. Two plates of food remained on the table as he finished.

            “I saved some food for you,” he said.

            “Thanks, Omar,” Clementine said.

            “No problem.”

            Omar brought the dirty dishes inside. Clementine and Violet sat next to each other at the table. They began to eat.

            “This is weird,” Violet said, looking at the empty seats around them. “It feels so empty.”

            “Maybe you shouldn’t have slept in so late,” Clementine smiled.

            Violet rolled her eyes. The two continued eating.

            “So…” Violet said after a while. “What suddenly inspired you to totally fuck up everyone’s schedules so that we could hang out together all day?”

            “I think what inspired me is…” Clementine thought for a moment, “that I love you.”

            “Stop it,” Violet replied, trying not to smile.

            “Really, though. That’s pretty much what it comes down to, anyway.”

            There was a brief silence as both girls tried to figure out what to say next.

            “I started thinking after our conversation last night…” Clementine spoke up. “And I want to tell you about everything. _Fully_ open up to you. But when I do, it’ll probably… get pretty heavy. So, I thought, let’s just have some fun together first. Build up to it.”

            Violet smiled, but quickly retracted her expression of happiness.

            “Are you sure?” she asked. “I don’t want you to–”

            “I’m definitely sure,” Clementine assured her.

            Violet allowed herself to smile again. The two finished their breakfast and got ready for the rest of their day.

            “So now what?” Violet asked. “Got any plans or anything?”

            “No, not really,” Clementine admitted.

            _Well,_ I _have an idea!_ Louis signed as he sat across from them.

            “Shouldn’t you be fishing right now?” Violet said.

            _The fish can wait. They’re patient._

Clementine leaned in toward Louis as Violet leaned away and crossed her arms. Louis turned to Violet.

            _Violet. Why don’t you ask the lovely lady to prom?_

Violet gave a confused look.

            “Are you fucking…” Violet said. “Fucking serious?”

            “ _I_ like that idea,” Clementine spoke up. “Pretty sure neither of us ever went to a prom before.”

            “Yeah, but…” Violet started. “What the fuck? No!”

            “If you don’t ask me,” Clementine said, “then I’ll just ask you.”

            She faked a sad expression.

            “I hope you don’t reject me…”

            Violet looked in disbelief at Clementine. She turned to Louis, who had the biggest, dumbest smile on his face, then back to her girlfriend.

            “Fine!” Violet grunted.

            Violet took a moment to compose herself.

            “Clementine, do you…” she started. “Do you want to…”

            She stalled. Clementine’s and Louis’ smiles slowly grew.

            “God, this is so _stupid_!” she declared.

            _Wrong!_ Louis signed. _Try again!_

“Well, why don’t _you_ ask her to ‘prom’ then?” Violet said.

            _I’m not here to steal your girl! Try again._

Violet gave a long, exasperated sigh. She turned back to Clementine.

            “Clementine,” she said again.

            “Yeeaaah?” Clementine teased.

            Violet was unamused.

            “Do you…” she continued. “Want to go…”

            She stopped to take a deep breath.

            “To Louis’ dumb, fucking ‘prom’ thing with me? Whatever that even means…”

            Clementine put her hand over her heart and feigned a surprised look.

            “Why, Violet!” she said. “This is so sudden!”

            “Oh my god…” Violet said, dropping her head on the table.

            Clementine and Louis laughed.

            _Well, I’ve kept those fish waiting long enough,_ Louis signed as he stood up.

            “Wait,” Violet said. “This was _your_ dumb idea. You can’t bail now!”

            _Well,_ someone’s _gotta fish,_ Louis shrugged.

            “ _I_ can fish, I don’t care,” Violet suggested.

            “You’re not getting out of this _that_ easy,” Clementine said, smiling.

            _Go on and get started without me,_ Louis signed as he began to walk away. _I’ll be back to chaperone in an hour or two._

“He’ll be back to what?” Violet asked Clementine, unfamiliar with the term “chaperone.”

            “He’ll… supervise the prom,” Clementine responded. “Like a teacher at an actual prom.”

            Violet laughed a little bit.

            “Mr. Louis,” she said. “Professor of… dumb… shit.”

            “Wow, real creative,” Clementine remarked.

            _I heard that!_ Louis signed behind his back as he exited through the gate.

            “Good!” Violet shouted back at him.

***

            Clementine and Violet entered the music room, where they assumed Louis’ “prom” would be held.

            “So…” Violet started. “What do people even do at proms?”

            “Well…” Clementine said, thinking. “There’s music, people dance… That’s about it, I guess. As much as I know, anyway.”

            Violet seemed confused.

            “Why?” she asked. “You can dance anywhere. Why would you make it this whole thing and give it a name and everything?”

            “I don’t know,” Clementine admitted. “Not all of the old world ways made sense.”

            “Yeah, no kidding.”

            They both sat on the piano bench and looked around the room.

            “He said to start without him,” Clementine remembered. “So, uh… What are we supposed to start?”

            Violet shrugged.

            “Something tells me he didn’t exactly have this all planned out,” she said.

            “Yeah, probably not,” Clementine laughed. “An impromptu prom… Only Louis would think of doing something like that.”

            “Did you just make a pun?”

            “What?”

            “Im _PROM_ ptu?”

            Clementine gave Violet a disappointed look while trying not to smile.

            “ _You’re_ the one who said it,” Violet pointed out, a bit disappointed in herself for having noticed an unintended pun.

            Clementine chuckled a little. The two continued looking around the room, trying to figure out what the upcoming event would entail.

            “Okay, be honest,” Violet spoke up. “Was this ‘prom’ thing actually your idea? And it’s part of our ‘special day’ or whatever?”

            “I don’t think I would’ve ever been able to come up with something like having our own ‘prom,’” Clementine said. “This was all Louis.”

            “Figures.”

            They both sat in silence for a moment.

            “So, have any ideas for songs Louis should play for us to dance to?” Clementine asked.

            “I’m not–” Violet started. “We’re _not_ dancing in front of Louis! Are you kidding me?”

            “Well, why not?”

            “Because…” Violet tried to think of a suitable response for a second before deciding to just tell the truth. “Because I’d feel dumb.”

            “What, you think he’d make fun of you?”

            “Well, _obviously_ he’d make fun of me,” Violet said, crossing her arms. “He’d make fun of you, too. Hell, he’ll probably make fun of himself.”

            “So…?”

            “I don’t know,” Violet admitted, uncrossing her arms and planting her hands by her sides.

            A moment of silence passed.

            “Are you embarrassed?” Clementine asked.

            “Embarrassed of _what_?” Violet asked.

            “I don’t know… Of other people seeing your… sensitive side?”

            Violet’s eyes widened a little before an embarrassed look overtook her face.

            “Um…” she said.

            “That’s alright,” Clementine told her. “You don’t need to share that part of you with everyone. In fact, it… makes me feel honored that you’re sometimes willing to share it with me.”

            Violet gave a coy smile.

            “How about right now, then?” Clementine suggested as she stood up. “Before anyone else gets here?”

            “Anyone _else_?” Violet asked slightly nervously. “Who else is coming?”

            Clementine shrugged.

            “I have no idea what Louis is planning,” she said.

            Violet looked nervously at the floor for a moment before reluctantly standing up.

            “Okay…” she said. “Let’s… make it quick.”

            Clementine and Violet put their hands on each other, taking their positions, and started moving back and forth. It took a little bit before they got into a consistent rhythm. Clementine smiled. Violet slowly smiled back.

            “How’s…” Violet said, her smile quickly disappearing. “How’s your foot?”

            “It’s fine,” Clementine said. “Don’t worry about it.”

            “Okay… Let me know if–”

            “As long as we don’t do anything _too_ ambitious, I’ll be alright.”

            “O-Okay…” Violet said through a worried expression.

            After continuing for a little while longer, Violet eventually became confident that Clementine wouldn’t have a problem. Violet almost allowed herself to smile again.

            “If, um…” Violet said. “If it helps… you could lean on me, if you wanted to.”

            Clementine smiled. She leaned forward, resting her head on Violet. The two wrapped their arms around each other as they continued to sway.

            “Hey, y’all!” Ruby said as she and Aasim entered the room.

            Violet quickly stopped dancing. Clementine almost fell over, but Violet managed to catch her before she completely lost balance.

            “Sorry!” Violet said. “Sorry. Are you okay?”

            “Yeah, I’m fine,” Clementine laughed.

            Violet sighed in relief before helping Clementine stand up straight again.

            “Did, uh… we walk in on something?” Aasim asked.

            “No, we’re just waiting for Louis,” Clementine responded.

            “Did he tell you about this ‘prom’ he’s doing?” Ruby asked.

            “Yup,” Clementine said. “That’s what we’re here waiting for.”

            “How long’s he been planning this for?”

            “As far as I know, he just decided to do it this morning.”

            “That boy has the cutest ideas.”

            Aasim looked a little hurt. Ruby turned to him.

            “But he’s not the cutest boy,” she said.

            Aasim brightened up a bit.

            “So is _everyone_ coming, or…?” Clementine asked.

            “Well, we’re the only two couples,” Aasim pointed out. “Plus, Omar’s on lookout duty and AJ and Willy are still hunting.”

            “It’ll be like a double date!” Ruby proposed.

            Clementine smiled. Aasim wasn’t as sure about the idea. Violet was very unsure.

            _Welcome, lovebirds!_ Louis signed as he entered the room. _And Violet._

Violet gave him a middle finger.

            _To Louis’ Promtastic Extravaganza!_

Everyone had a little bit of trouble reading Louis’ signs for “promtastic.”

            “You’re done fishing already?” Clementine asked. “Did you catch enough?”

            _Got lucky,_ Louis responded. _Tons of fish today. Honestly, probably caught too many. Let’s begin!_

Louis took a seat at the piano and pretended to crack his knuckles. He started off with a mid-tempo piano ballad. Ruby and Aasim started slow dancing.

            “Well?” Clementine said, smiling at Violet.

            Violet gave Clementine an unsure look.

            “Can’t we just… watch?” she proposed.

            Clementine chuckled a bit.

            “Yeah, okay.”

            Clementine and Violet walked off to the side of the room and sat on the floor. When Louis noticed this, he suddenly ended the song with a purposefully bad chord.

            _What are you two doing?_ he signed at Clementine and Violet.

            Ruby and Aasim stopped dancing and looked over.

            “We… were dancing earlier,” Clementine said. “When you told us to get started without you. We’re taking a break.”

            Louis shrugged.

            _Alright. But I’m gonna keep going until you join in!_

Louis started the song again. Violet rolled her eyes. Ruby and Aasim continued dancing.

            “Well,” Clementine said, turning toward Violet. “Let me know when you’re ready, I guess.”

            Violet looked disappointedly down at the floor, then up at Clementine.

            “Fuck it,” she said. “Let’s get this over with.”

            Clementine smiled and stood up. Violet reluctantly followed suit. They walked back toward the center of the room.

            “Now, where were we?” Clementine smiled.

            The two resumed their dance, but were careful to not get close enough for Violet to feel too embarrassed in front of other people.

            “How are you doing?” Clementine half-jokingly asked.

            “It’s… weird,” Violet said. “With other people around.”

            “Try to think about it like we’re just fitting in.”

            Violet thought for a moment.

            “No, I don’t like that either,” she said.

            “Well,” Clementine laughed. “Give it a couple more minutes and then we’ll be done.”

            Violet sighed.

            Louis continued playing, looking up from the piano every once in a while to make sure everyone else was still dancing. After a couple of minutes, he ended the song.

            “Okay, we’re done,” Violet said before abruptly walking back to the edge of the room. Clementine chuckled to herself and followed.

            _Come on, Vi,_ Louis signed. _You’ll_ never _become Prom Queen with an attitude like that!_

Violet ignored him as she took a seat on the floor. Louis smiled to himself before starting a new song. Ruby and Aasim continued dancing. Clementine sat down next to Violet.

            “Was that so bad?” Clementine asked.

            “Yeah, kind of,” Violet responded.

            Clementine smiled and lovingly put her arm around Violet.

            “We don’t have to dance in front of other people anymore if you don’t want to,” Clementine assured her.

            “Good,” Violet replied.

            The two remained seated and watched Ruby and Aasim dance for a little while.

            “Do you…” Violet started. “Did you want to dance more?”

            “Not if it makes you uncomfortable,” Clementine answered.

            “I can just… suck it up, if you really want to.”

            “Violet, it’s okay,” Clementine laughed. “I appreciate the offer, though.”

            Violet didn’t appear satisfied. Clementine leaned her head against Violet’s shoulder.

            “I like just sitting here with you,” Clementine said.

            Violet smiled a little bit.

            “If you say so,” she responded.

            Louis switched to a more up-tempo song. Ruby attempted to teach Aasim how to line dance. The result was a bit awkward.

            “Well, there’s no way we were worse than _that_ ,” Violet said.

            “I hope not,” Clementine chuckled.

            After a while, AJ and Willy entered the room.

            “Hey,” AJ said, slightly concerned. “Are you having a party without us?”

            _It’s prom!_ Louis tried to sign in between notes.

            “It… It what?” AJ asked.

            Louis ended the song.

            _It’s prom!_ he repeated.

            “Huh?” AJ looked to Clementine for clarification.

            “It’s called ‘prom,’” Clementine explained. “It’s an old world tradition. Basically, everyone gets together and dances.”

            “Oh…” AJ replied, a bit confused. “Isn’t that just… a dance? Or a party?”

            “Yup,” Violet said. “The word ‘prom’ is pretty useless.”

            “Huh…” AJ said. “Okay!”

            He excitedly ran into the middle of the room.

            “We need music to dance, right?” he said.

            Louis smiled and turned back to the piano. He began a fast-paced song for AJ to go crazy to. AJ laughed and danced wildly.

            “What a goofball,” Clementine laughed.

            Willy joined AJ in his madness. Ruby joined too, and Aasim tried to keep up.

            _Okay!_ Louis signed once he finished the song. _Papa Louis needs a break._

He got up from the piano and walked over to the gramophone to put on one of the jazz records. AJ, Ruby, Aasim, and Willy continued their respective dances as Louis took a seat on the piano bench, watching them and smiling.

            “Something tells me actual proms weren’t this… chaotic,” Violet said.

            “Not like any of _us_ would know,” Clementine shrugged.

            Violet’s face saddened a bit.

            “You alright?” Clementine asked.

            “Yeah, I’m fine,” Violet insisted. “It just kinda makes me think about what life would’ve been like if the walkers never happened, you know? Probably not great, but at least there wouldn’t be walkers. But… then _we_ probably would’ve never met, so… compromise, right?”

            “Well, I’m glad you care about me so much you’d end the world for us to meet,” Clementine teased.

            “You know what I mean,” Violet retorted.

            “Yeah, I know,” Clementine admitted.

            “Clem!” AJ yelled as he ran over. “Come on! Come watch my new dance moves!”

            “Okay, kiddo,” Clementine laughed.

            She got up, looked back at Violet and smiled, and then followed AJ to the middle of the room to watch him dance. Violet sat alone for a few moments before getting up and joining Louis on the piano bench.

            _Admit it,_ Louis signed as Violet sat next to him. _I nailed it._

Violet smiled.

            “You did alright,” she said.

            _Wow. That’s quite a compliment, coming from you._

“Shut up.”

            They both watched everyone else dance for a little while.

            “I…” Violet started. “I miss hearing your voice, Lou.”

            Louis looked over at her, surprised.

            “I know, it probably seems weird to hear me say that. But seriously. I’m… sorry we couldn’t save you sooner or anything…”

            Louis smiled.

            _Well, at least my vocal chords still work!_

Louis opened his mouth and sung an ascending scale. Violet grunted and turned away.

            “God, never mind!”

            Louis tapped her on the shoulder. She begrudgingly looked back at him.

            _I’m just glad we’re both still here,_ he signed.

            Violet smiled.

            “Yeah, me too.”

            Louis aggressively hugged her.

            “O… okay.”

            Louis signed, _Hug me back. Do it,_ before resuming the hug.

            Violet scoffed.

            “Fine.”

            Violet hugged Louis back. It was a more genuine hug than she had planned to give. The two separated and continued watching their friends dance.

***

            After Louis’ “prom,” everyone gathered outside to get ready for dinner. Aasim took over lookout duty while Omar cooked.

            “Well, that went on for a while,” Violet said.

            “Yeah,” Clementine said. “I have to say, that’s not exactly how I expected this day to go.”

            “It… wasn’t so bad, though,” Violet admitted.

            Clementine smiled. The two of them sat by the fire pit while they waited for Omar to finish dinner. They both looked around the courtyard, seeing AJ and Willy playing and Ruby trying her hardest to not enjoy Louis’ jokes.

            “Sometimes,” Violet began, “on days like this, I look around, and… it still seems kind of surreal. How much everything worked out.”

            “I know what you mean,” Clementine said. “After everything we’ve all been through together… After everything we’ve all been through individually…”

            “I know we say this all the time,” Violet said, “but this never would’ve happened if you didn’t crash your car that day. Marlon probably would’ve kept selling us out to the raiders one by one, or they’d come take us all at once… We’d probably all be dead or raiders ourselves if it weren’t for you.”

            “Well, you all deserve credit, too,” Clementine added. “I may have _taught_ you all how to fight, more or less, but _all_ of you did the actual fighting.”

            “Well, yeah, but…” Violet continued. “We needed _someone_ to teach us how to fight. And you did that for us. _You_ didn’t need someone to teach; you could’ve just… not. We had already kicked you out and everything…”

            “To be fair, _you_ didn’t kick us out, but that doesn’t matter. I get why everyone felt the way they did – we’ve been over this. But more importantly, I _did_ need all of you. Just as much as you needed me. Maybe even more. Yeah, you might all be dead or captured if I didn’t show up, but without all you, AJ and I would probably be dead by now too. We… all need each other.”

            Violet smiled.

            “Yeah,” she said. “I guess we’ll always keep coming to that conclusion, huh?”

            “Well, it’s true,” Clementine smiled back.

            They both continued looking around the courtyard for a while.

            “I think…” Violet started, “maybe _I_ needed you the most. More than everyone else needed you or you needed us or whatever. I think… If, somehow, the raiders never found us or anything, everyone else would be mostly fine, but I would keep pushing everyone away, refusing to get really close, or even _comfortable_ , with anyone… Eventually, I would’ve just… I don’t know. But then you came, and… For the first time in a long time, I really wanted to… be close to someone again. And then I started letting myself get close to everyone else again, too. I know I’m still not great at it, but…”

            Clementine smiled.

            “Maybe someday you’ll feel comfortable dancing in front of everyone,” Clementine said half-jokingly.

            Violet laughed.

            “We’re getting there,” she said.

            The two looked around at their community once again.

            “Dinner’s ready!” Omar announced.

            Everyone gathered around the table for the meal.

***

            The sun almost finished setting as the group finished up their food. Omar began collecting dishes.

            “I better turn in,” Ruby said. “Get some sleep before my lookout shift tonight.”

            “Yeah, me too,” Aasim said.

            The two of them walked off.

            “I should… start my shift,” Willy said, leaving the table as well.

            “I need to go finish my fort,” AJ stated.

            “You’re _still_ working on your ‘fort’?” Clementine asked.

            “I had to start over,” AJ explained. “I had a better idea.”

            AJ handed his plate to Omar and then ran off.

            _And then there were four,_ Louis signed.

            “Three,” Omar said, carrying his pile of dishes inside.

            _Alright, three. We can play with three._

“Play what with three?” Clementine asked.

            Louis drew a deck of cards from his pocket.

            _The game is Texas Two Hold’em._

“Texas Two Hold’em?” Violet almost laughed.

            _Plays like normal Texas Hold’em, but instead of betting, the winner gets to ask the other two any question they want._

“What’s with you and card games revolving around questions?” Violet asked.

            _There’s always room to learn more about your friends._

“He’s got a point,” Clementine shrugged.

            Louis shuffled the deck and dealt everyone two cards each. He played five cards face up on the table.

            _So who’s got the best hand?_

The three of them all showed each other their hands. Violet had two pairs. Louis had three of a kind. Clementine had a full house.

            _Alright, Clem. What’s the question?_

Clementine thought for a moment.

            “So, uh…” she began. “What is… the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever done?”

            “Easy,” Violet said quickly. “Louis’ ‘prom.’”

            _Ouch!_ Louis signed, feigning a hurt look.

            “You loved it,” Clementine said.

            “Yeah, a little bit,” Violet admitted. “Still embarrassing, though.”

            Clementine smiled, then turned to Louis.

            “What about you, Louis?”

            Louis thought for a bit, then grinned.

            _I went through this phase once where I asked out almost every girl I knew._

“Oh, god…” Violet said. “Yeah, I remember that phase.”

            “ _Almost_ every girl you knew?” Clementine asked.

            _Well… There were some I knew I’d never have a chance with._

He looked in Violet’s direction. She scoffed.

            “So…” Clementine continued. “Did any say ‘yes’?”

            _Nope. Though, to be fair, that may have been, in part, due to the fact that I asked them all out in a span of about ten hours._

Clementine tried to suppress her laughter, but couldn’t.

            “Wow,” she said. “That’s, uh… real romantic, Louis.”

            _Well, at least I learned an important lesson._

“Yeah?” Violet asked. “What’s that?”

            _Don’t put all your eggs in every basket._

            Clementine laughed. Violet chuckled a little.

            Louis dealt out the next hand. This time, Violet won. She thought for a second about what question to ask.

            “What about the old world are you glad is gone?” she asked.

Clementine and Louis both had to think for a bit.

            _Responsibilities,_ Louis signed.

            “You still have responsibilities, you know,” Clementine reminded him.

            _Yeah… But at least my responsibilities make sense now._

“So… nonsensical responsibilities?” Clementine offered.

            _There you go. I’m glad nonsensical responsibilities are gone._

“What about you, Clem?” Violet asked.

            Clementine thought a bit longer.

            “Um… Homework?” Clementine eventually answered.

            _Boo! Boring answer._

“Well, it’s true,” Clementine countered. “It’s something from the old world I’m glad is gone.”

            “Works for me,” Violet shrugged.

            Louis dealt the next hand. This time, he won.

            “Ass-crackers,” Violet cursed. “Alright, what’s the question?”

            _Guilty pleasures. What are yours?_

Clementine and Violet thought about their answers.

            “I never would’ve admitted this to my friends as a kid, but…” Clementine began, “I actually liked watching documentaries.”

            _Wow,_ Louis signed. _And I thought your_ last _answer was boring._

He turned to Violet, who was still silently thinking.

            _Vi? Guilty Pleasure?_

Violet crossed her arms and answered quietly.

            “‘Total Eclipse of the Heart.’”

            “I remember that song!” Clementine said.

            _Well, I have to say, that’s not what I was expecting, but… also not surprising._

Violet rolled her eyes.

            _Naturally, the next question is: Will you sing it at karaoke night?_

“We’re _not_ doing a karaoke night,” Violet protested.

            _Hey, you don’t have to sing if you don’t want to. But we’re_ definitely _doing a karaoke night at some point._

“Definitely,” Clementine agreed.

            Everyone drew their next hands. Violet won the round.

            “Let’s see…” Violet said as she thought of a question. “What’s… the _worst_ thing you’ve ever done?”

            The smiles disappeared from Clementine’s and Louis’ faces.

            “Too dark?” Violet asked.

            “Yeah, little bit,” Clementine answered.

            “Okay…” Violet responded. “ _Second_ worst thing you’ve ever done.”

            “I…” Clementine began, “let a friend kill another friend once…”

            Violet’s and Louis’ faces both went sad.

            _Second worst thing_ I’ve _ever done is let you ask that question,_ Louis signed to Violet.

            Violet continued looking sad at Clementine.

            “Sorry, Clem,” Violet said. “I shouldn’t’ve–”

            “It’s fine,” Clementine said, forcing herself to smile. “Let’s keep playing. But… maybe stay away from the dark questions from now on.”

            Louis won the next round.

            _Okay, how about this: What’s the_ best _thing you’ve ever done?_

Clementine gave a more genuine smile and looked at Violet. Violet smiled back.

            _Ah, I see._

“Sorry, Louis,” Clementine said. “We don’t mean to make you feel like a third wheel or anything.”

            _Hey, I’m totally fine with it,_ Louis signed. _Seriously, no third wheel feelings at all. In fact, I like vicariously being part of your guys’ relationship._

Clementine and Violet both gave Louis weird looks.

            _That… came out weirder than I meant it to._

“Yeah…” Clementine said.

            _I just mean I’m happy for you both. And I like being both of your wingman. I’m vicariously part of your relationship in a strictly platonic way._

“You can stop now,” Violet said.

            “We, uh… appreciate the sentiment, Louis,” Clementine said.

            _I think I’m gonna retroactively change my answer to your “most embarrassing thing you’ve ever done” question to this._

Everyone drew one last hand. Clementine won the final round.

            “My question,” Clementine started, “is: What is your favorite thing about each person at this table?”

            “Come on,” Violet said. “You know I’m bad at that kind of stuff.”

            “Too bad,” Clementine said. “You have to answer.”

            Violet sighed.

            _I’ll go first,_ Louis signed. _Violet, my favorite thing about you is that, despite what you want everyone to think, you are just the sweetest thing. I kinda wish you’d let that side of you out more, but I’ll take whatever I can get. Love you, girl._

Violet tried to hide her embarrassed smile. Louis turned to Clementine.

            _And Clem… You’re just simply the coolest person I’ve ever known. By a very wide margin. So congratulations, you’re the coolest troubled youth I know._

Clementine smiled.

            “Okay,” Violet said. “Louis, you’re… I don’t know. You’re my best friend. And… And I love you too.”

            Louis smiled, but couldn’t resist the urge to tease Violet a little.

            _So your favorite thing about me is that I’m your best friend?_

“Just accept it,” Violet said.

            _Accepting it._

“Clem,” Violet said, turning to her. “My favorite thing about you is… Well… Off the top of my head, it’s how much you care about people. Family, friends, whatever. You… You really know how to make everyone feel… special.”

            Clementine’s smiled widened.

            _I second that,_ Louis signed.

            “You already said yours!” Violet said.

            _I’m adding an addendum._

“I know it was my question,” Clementine said, “but I’ll go too. Louis… Whether it’s setting up a prom for everyone, or a birthday party, or just telling jokes and playing games… You’re always going out of your way to make everyone else happy. I know it isn’t easy to always be the ray of light in a dark world, but you do it anyway, all the time. So, I guess… my favorite thing about you is how selfless you are. And how good you are at making everyone happy.”

            Louis smiled gratefully. Clementine turned to Violet.

            “Violet,” she said. “I… I love that you’re always there for me. Even if I… don’t always act like I need someone… I do. And that someone’s you. And… I’m gonna do better about being more open with you and everything. But I want you to know that, even if I have a hard time sharing things, I love how much _you_ share with _me_ , and I love knowing that, whenever I need anyone for anything, you’re always there for me whenever I need you.”

            Violet gave up trying to hide her smile. Clementine reached out and grabbed Violet’s and Louis’ shoulders.

            “I love you guys,” she said.

            “I love you both, too,” Violet said.

            Louis maintained the “I love you” sign with both hands.

            The three all took a few moments before Clementine eventually retracted her hands.

            _Well, that’s probably the best possible place to end the game,_ Louis said as he started packing up his cards. _I’ll leave you two to your devices._

“Okay,” Clementine said. “Good night, Louis.”

            “Good night,” Violet repeated.

            _Good night, you two,_ Louis signed before getting up and heading to his room.

            Clementine and Violet decided to retire for the night as well.

***

            Clementine and Violet returned to their room.

            “Alone at last,” Clementine said as she sat on the bed.

            Violet sat beside her. The two were silent for a while, both anticipating the “heavy” conversation Clementine mentioned she wanted to have at the beginning of the day.

            “I…” Clementine started. “I’m not really sure where exactly to begin.”

            Clementine’s face saddened.

            “So…” Violet spoke up instead. “I’ve kinda been wondering… When was it that you… first realized you, uh… had feelings for me?”

            Clementine smiled, welcoming the change in subject.

            “Well…” Clementine said, thinking for a moment. “Do you remember the first day we met, we all went out and killed a bunch of walkers together?”

            Violet nodded confusedly, a bit surprised that Clementine would mention that moment of all things.

            “When we were walking back to the school,” Clementine continued, “Louis was giving you shit about not doing as well as you had in the past; he gave you a B–. So I said that _I_ was giving you an A+. When I said you were awesome, you just said, ‘I know.’ But it was just before you said that… You smiled just a little bit. I could tell there was more to you than just the tough loner you were trying to come off as. I think that smile was where it really started.”

            Violet shyly smiled for a moment before responding.

            “Wow,” she said. “That’s it?”

            Clementine gave a faux irritated look.

            “What do you mean, ‘That’s it’?”

            Violet shrugged.

            “I guess getting you to fall for me was a lot easier than I thought,” Violet teased. “I didn’t even have to bother taking you up to that bell tower or anything.”      

            Clementine gave a little smile.

            “Well…” Clementine began. “Looking back, I think it all started with that moment in the woods, but I don’t think I actually _realized_ my feelings for you until we were on top of the bell tower together, making new constellations.”

            Violet smiled more fully.

            “What about you?” Clementine asked. “When did _you_ realize?”

            Violet thought for a moment.

            “Yeah, I guess…” she started. “I probably had feelings for you for a while before too, but I think I really realized it for the first time when you asked to be girlfriends. Before that, I think… I didn’t really want to feel that way. Didn’t want to go through that again, you know? But when you said _you_ had feelings for _me_ … How was I supposed to say ‘no’?”

            Clementine smiled.

            “I guess that trip to the bell tower was a good idea after all,” she said.

            “Yeah,” Violet agreed.

            Clementine stared lovingly at her girlfriend for a while.

            “Okay,” Clementine said. “The other night, you started naming reasons why you love me, so now I’m gonna do that for you.”

            “You…” Violet said, a bit embarrassed, “don’t have to do that.”

            “But I _want_ to,” Clementine said.

            Violet looked down at the ground, but couldn’t help smiling a little bit.

            “So…” Clementine began.

            Clementine looked at Violet, who was looking coyly back at her. Clementine smiled. She felt a sudden urge to hug Violet, so she did. Violet was a bit surprised.

            “Reason one,” Clementine said, squeezing Violet tighter, “you’re super huggable.”

            Violet scoffed.

            “I don’t know about _that_ ,” Violet said. “I’m pretty bony…”

            “Nope,” Clementine insisted. “Super huggable.”

            Violet gave in. The two leaned back on the bed, Clementine still wrapping her arms around Violet. They lay there, their faces close, looking into each other’s eyes.

            “Reason two,” Clementine said. “You are… too adorable.”

            “Come on,” Violet said, giving that coy smile again. “No I’m not.”

            “Violet… You are _so_ adorable. It’s… ridiculous how adorable you are.”

            Violet shyly averted her gaze, still smiling.

            “Reason three,” Clementine continued.

            “You know…” Violet interrupted. “We don’t have to always talk. We can just… enjoy each other’s company.”

            Clementine thought for a moment.

            “One last reason,” she said.

            “Fine…” Violet said softly, unable to force away her smile.

            “Okay, so, reason three,” Clementine said, trying to think of a suitable final reason. “You are… the coolest, kindest, most badass, but also most caring person I’ve ever known, and I’m so, so lucky to have you in my life.”

            Violet smiled even wider, despite trying not to. She leaned her forehead against Clementine’s.

            “That was like _five_ reasons,” she said.

            “Still counts as one,” Clementine responded.

            Violet maneuvered to wrap her own arms around Clementine. The two lay, enjoying each other’s embrace, for a long while.

            “Do you…” Clementine eventually spoke up, “want to try dancing again? Now that it’s just us?”

            Violet thought for a moment.

            “Yeah, sure,” she responded.

            They both got up and started dancing, right where they left off. Neither of them said a word – neither of them needed to. They simply looked into each other’s eyes and danced. Violet leaned into Clementine, putting her arms around her. Clementine returned the gesture. They hugged each other closer, continuing to sway. Clementine and Violet continued dancing like this well into the night. Eventually, they stopped moving and just stood, and tightened their grips on each other.

            After a long while, Clementine and Violet let each other go.

            “Sorry, I cried all over you again,” Violet said, wiping a tear from her eye. “But these were happy tears.”

            “Yeah, mine too,” Clementine laughed, wiping her own eye.

            They both sat next to each other on the bed again, leaning their heads against each other and holding hands. Clementine’s face became a little somber.

            “I think…” Clementine started, “the reason I maybe haven’t told you so much about my past and everything… Maybe it’s because I’m afraid of this getting too… real.”

            Violet squeezed Clementine’s hand a little tighter.

“I mean…” Clementine continued, “I think I might be kind of afraid of having good things. Since they always seem to make way for more tragedy…”

            Clementine paused for a moment.

            “Think about us, for example,” she continued. “That first night at the bell tower, when we decided to be girlfriends… was one of the best nights of my life. But, at the same time… Later that night, Mitch was killed. And Louis, Omar, and Aasim were taken. Then, the night we had our first kiss… Tenn was killed later that night.”

            Clementine thought for a second.

            “Once, a long time ago, I was with this group. There was a man in the group named Luke. He was a really good guy. But ever since I joined that group, we just could not catch a break. There was just… _always_ something. One night, we finally all got a chance to relax and have a good time. Coincidentally, it was Luke’s birthday that night…”

            She paused.

            “He died the next day…”

            Tears started to form in Clementine’s eyes. She quickly wiped them away.

            “I think…” she went on, “I was always a little bit nervous about being girlfriends with you, about _really_ being girlfriends with you, because… Because every time I think I might be happy, something terrible happens.”

            Clementine looked sadly down at the floor. Violet waited a few moments, then stood up.

            “Okay,” she said to Clementine. “Get up.”

            Clementine looked up at her.

            “What?” she asked.

            “Get up!” Violet repeated, slightly more aggressively this time. “We’re going to the bell tower.”

            She held out her hand to Clementine. Clementine smiled confusedly as she took Violet’s hand and stood up.

            “Uh, okay?” Clementine said. “Kind of random…”

            “We’re gonna do that first night over again,” Violet declared. “But this time, no fucking raiders will attack. And it will just be good without any of the bad.”

            Clementine’s smile changed from confused to happy. Violet smiled back at her.

            “Okay, let’s go,” Violet said.

            Hand-in-hand, they exited the room and made their way to the bell tower.

***

            Violet helped Clementine up the staircase as they ascended.

            “So this is where I said something about chicken nuggets…” Violet said before recalling her exact line. “‘I’d give an _eyeball_ for a chicken nugget right now.’ Right?”

            “Yup, that’s what you said,” Clementine laughed. “Good thing that’s not actually what it took.”

            “Yeah,” Violet agreed. “Those were good, but I think I’ll keep both my eyes.”

            The two of them made it to the top of the bell tower. They walked out and admired the night sky before looking down at the school.

            “No traps to check this time,” Clementine stated. “No more than usual, anyway.”

            Violet turned.

            “We were sitting over here, I think,” she said.

            The two began walking around to where they had sat almost a year ago. Clementine continued looking at the sky as she walked.

            “Beautiful…” she mused.

            “Yeah,” Violet agreed.

            “Just like you,” Clementine said, turning to Violet.

            Violet blushed.

            “You didn’t say _that_ last time!” Violet pointed out.

            “Well… I’m saying it _this_ time.”

            Violet smiled a little bit.

            The two sat down by the edge, careful to not be close enough to fall.

            “So…” Violet started. “Astronomy, right?”

            “Astrology,” Clementine corrected her.

            “Whatever, I don’t care. Let’s come up with some new ones. _New_ new ones.”

            They both looked up at the stars.

            “Let’s see…” Violet said, scanning the sky. “Okay, there! It’s a shield. See it?”

            Clementine looked for the constellation.

            “Yeah, there it is,” she said.

            “Now we decide whose sign it is, remember?” Violet said. “So, a shield… Tough, strong, defensive… Sturdy… Nothing gets past them.”

            “Kind of reminds me of Rosie.”

            Violet laughed.

            “Yeah, that works,” she said. “Okay, your turn.”

            Clementine looked around, trying to make something of the stars.

            “I see…” she began. “A star.”

            “Come on,” Violet said.

            “No, really,” Clementine insisted. “A _shape_ star.”

            Violet shrugged.

            “Alright, fine,” she conceded. “Hm… Full of light, super popular… Always needs to be the center of attention. But… has a good heart. Is in it for the right reasons.”

            “Definitely Louis.”

            “Definitely.”

            Violet prepared to take her turn.

            “There!” she pointed. “It’s a wolf.”

            “Yeah, I kind of see it,” Clementine responded.

            “Vicious, loyal…” Violet said. “Good with their friends, but… not someone you want to fuck with.”

            “Kind of sounds like James,” Clementine said.

            “Huh,” Violet said. “You know him better than I do. I’ll take your word for it.”

            “Yeah. That’s James, alright.”

            Clementine searched the skies.

            “I see…” she said. “A fork.”

            “Hm, a fork…” Violet said.

            “It’s Omar.”

            Violet gave Clementine a slightly disappointed look.

            “I didn’t even describe it yet!” she protested.

            “Doesn’t matter,” Clementine said. “It’s a fork. It needs to be Omar.”

            “Fine,” Violet said, turning back to the sky.

            The two simply took in the view for a while.

            “I think last time we only got to three,” Clementine said.

            “Then… we’re doing better already,” Violet said.

            Clementine and Violet smiled at each other. They turned back to the stars.

            Violet laughed a little.

            “What?” Clementine asked.

            “Look,” Violet said, pointing ahead of her. “Do you see it?”

            “I mean… I see stars.”

            “It’s a clementine.”

            Clementine looked at Violet disappointedly.

            “Come on,” she said.

            “No, really!” Violet insisted. “Look, it’s round, there’s a stem coming out of the top, a leaf…”

            “Okay, that could be pretty much any fruit.”

            “Well, I like clementines. So it’s a clementine.”

            “Alright, then…” Clementine said, quickly scanning the sky. “Then I see a violet.”

            “No you don’t,” Violet chuckled.

            “Yeah, look. There are the petals, the stem…”

            Violet looked hard.

            “That could be any flow–” Violet caught herself mid-sentence. “Okay, I get it…”

            The two looked up at their newest constellations.

            “So a violet…” Violet said. “Pretty, does well in groups… Always makes everything a little bit better…”

            Violet smiled and looked over at Clementine.

            “I say that one’s your sign,” Violet said.

            Clementine smiled back at Violet, then looked back at the stars.

            “A clementine…” Clementine said. “Has kind of a tough exterior, but when you manage to get through that… it’s the sweetest thing in the world.”

            She smiled at Violet.

            “That’s you,” Clementine stated.

            Violet’s smile grew a little bit. She leaned back and lay on the floor. Clementine joined her. They inched closer to each other until they were touching shoulders and then held each other’s hands. They both continued looking up at the sky for a while.

            Clementine turned her head toward Violet. She placed her free hand on Violet’s cheek, gently turning Violet’s head toward her. She kept her hand rested on Violet’s face.

            “Um…” Violet stuttered. “W-what are you doing?”

            “I’m being romantic,” Clementine answered playfully.

            Violet smiled. The two stared into each other’s eyes for several moments.

            “You are…” Clementine began.

            She paused for a while to think of what words to use.

            “I can’t even describe,” she continued, “how important you are to me.”

            Violet’s smile grew.

            “Well…” Violet said. “You know _I’m_ not too good with words either, so…”

            “I guess another ‘I love you’ will have to do,” Clementine smiled.

            “Yeah,” Violet agreed. “I love you, Clem.”

            “I love you too, Vi.”

            Clementine leaned her head forward and the two kissed, after which they continued smiling at each other for some time. Eventually, Clementine retracted her hand from Violet’s cheek and they both turned back to the sky.

            “Well, I think we did it,” Violet said.

            “Did what?” Clementine asked.

            “Had the perfect night.”

            They both smiled and looked up at the stars together.

            “I wish this moment could last forever,” Clementine said.

            “Me too,” Violet said. “But we’ll have more moments.”

            Clementine smiled. Then, her face went a bit somber.

            “I want…” she began, “to tell you everything. All of it. Right now. From the beginning, all the way through now.”

            Violet looked over at Clementine, a bit surprised.

            “Everything?” she asked. “You sure?”

            “Yeah,” Clementine responded. “If you… want to hear it.”

            “Yeah,” Violet answered quickly. “As long as you… want to tell it.”

            Clementine smiled at her, then looked back up at the sky.

            “It’s a pretty long story,” Clementine warned.

            Violet shrugged.

            “I got time,” she said.

            “It’s also not a very happy one.”

            Violet looked up at the sky as well.

            “Well…” she said, “At least it has a happy ending.”

            Clementine smiled. She took a deep breath, then began her tale.


End file.
